The Power of Concentration Theron Dumont

THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION
Theron Q. Dumont
This book has already helped readers the world over in

achieving the seemingly impossible by learning how to
control the mind's most creative potential and put it to
use for accomplishing anything that you put your mind
to. In twenty easy-to-grasp and practical lessons the
book reveals the technique used to bring the mind under
your control and turning into an effective tool to help you
succeed in every endeavor you undertake.
THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION · Theron Q. Dumont p . 2a THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION · Theron Q. Dumont p . 2b
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION. It is of the utmost value to learn how to

concentrate. To make the greatest success of anything you must be
THE POWER OF able to concentrate your entire thought upon the idea you are
working on. The person that is able to concentrate utilizes all
constructive thoughts and shuts out all destructive ones. The
CONCENTRATION greatest man would accomplish nothing if he lacked concentration.
LESSON 1. CONCENTRATION FINDS THE WAY. Our two

natures; one wants to advance; the other wants to pull us back.
The one we concentrate on and develop determines what we will
By THERON Q. DUMONT become. How you may change your whole career and accomplish
miracles. We can be completely controlled by our concentrated
thought. How can you make an "opportunity". One man's
Author of "Personal Magnetism"; "Practical
opportunity is usually another man's loss. A very beneficial
Memory Training"; "Mental Therapeutics"; practice. Why we get back what we give out. A wonderful
"Successful Salesmanship"; "Master Mind"; encouraging tonic. Every man that is willing to put forth the
etc., etc. necessary effort can be a success. The man that is best prepared to
do things. How to make your services always in demand. How to
reach the top. The man selected to manage is not usually a genius.
He does not possess any more talent than others. What he does
possess that others do not. Why a few succeed and so many fail.
LESSON 2. THE SELF-MASTERY. SELF-DIRECTION POWER

OF CONCENTRATION. Very few men possess the power to
concentrate as they should. The cause of poor concentration. A
very good practice. Concentration means strength of mind. The
person unable to concentrate never accomplished a great deal.
How many weaken their powers of concentration. How
concentration can only be developed. How to control your every
thought, wish and plan. What concentration is. The person that is
able to concentrate gains the Power to control others. barriers to success can be controlled. How to realize your fondest
Concentration makes the will and intellect act in unison. Why ambitions. How to overcome destructive forces. How to become
some people are not magnetic. When a powerful personal the master of circumstances. Through concentration you can mold
influence is generated. How to become influential. The cause of your environment. You can get what you want. Sowing the
spasmodic, erratic concentration. How to centralize your thought seeds of success. Mind forces that are hardly dreamed of
attention. A quick way to develop concentration. The development at present. A method for removing unfavorable conditions.
of physical and mental concentration. How to learn a valuable Concentration makes you happy and gives you plenty to do.
lesson. One of the best ways to influence another. A good exercise.
The real benefit of physical culture usually lost sight of. How to LESSON 6. THE TRAINING OF THE WILL TO DO. The great
hold the facilities at work. secret of any accomplishment. Everything Is possible today. The
inner energy that controls all conscious acts. How you can become
LESSON 3. HOW TO GAIN WHAT YOU WANT THROUGH a genius. A mighty force at your disposal. Rules that will make you
CONCENTRATION. The mistake made by those that do not a "man" among men. The spirit that wins. Concentration develops
understand the power of mental attraction. How to get what you determination and perseverance. Some special instructions. What
want. We are not living in a "fairy age." Not the age for a will power is. You have as strong a will as anyone. You determine
"dreamer." The secret of getting what you concentrate on. How a your own fate. The importance of learning to use your will.
messenger in a bank became its president. "Power to him who
power exerts." LESSON 7. THE CONCENTRATED MENTAL DEMAND. The
attitude of the mind affects the expression of the face. The
LESSON 4. CONCENTRATION, THE SILENT FORCE THAT wonderful power of the concentrated mental demand. How to
PRODUCES RESULTS IN ALL BUSINESS. The power of thought. desire something and exclude all distracting thoughts. The silent
An experiment showing the power of thought. By concentrated force of wonderful power within all of us. How to make plans work
thought you can make yourself what you please. How to greatly out. The mightiest power in the world is free for you to use. The
increase your efficiency. The face reflects how a person has spent motive power which supplies the energies necessary for
his life. How to awaken possibilities within, you never dreamed of. achievement.
How to inspire confidence in those you deal with. The value of
concentrating your thoughts in the proper channels. How to LESSON 8. CONCENTRATION GIVES MENTAL POISE. The
attract the good things without a, great effort. By concentration man that can concentrate is well poised. What you must do to be
you can revolutionize your life and gain happiness greater than you successful today. Concentration that is dangerous. How to make
can imagine. those you come in contact with feel as you do. The man that
becomes a power in the world. You can control your life and
LESSON 5. HOW CONCENTRATED THOUGHT LINKS ALL actions. Successful lives are the concentrated lives. Why people do
HUMANITY TOGETHER. How you may become successful. The not get what they "concentrate" on.
up courage to do as you wish. Difficulties soon melt away before

LESSON 9. CONCENTRATION CAN OVERCOME BAD HABITS. the courageous.
Habit is but a powerful enemy and wonderful ally of concentration.
Most people are controlled through the power of habit. Most LESSON 12. CONCENTRATE ON WEALTH. No one was intended
people are imitators and copiers of their past selves. All physical to be poor. Through wealth we can uplift ourselves and humanity.
impressions are the carrying out of the actions of the will and Uncongenial and unpleasant conditions are not conducive to
intellect. How everyone could be made happier and successful. proper thought. First step toward acquiring wealth. Most men of
Some wonderful maxims. Habit the deepest law of human nature. all ages have been comparatively rich. Wealth not altogether the
How to overcome undesirable habits. Some special instructions by result of being industrious. No one can become wealthy from his
Dr. Oppenheim. earnings. Why some have to be taught such painful lessons. How
many attract poverty instead of riches. Why it is necessary to give
LESSON 10. BUSINESS RESULTS GAINED THROUGH a fair exchange for what we receive. How to make your society not
CONCENTRATION. A successful business not the result of only agreeable to others but sought after.
chance. Failure not caused by luck. The intense desire that is
necessary to make a business a success. Those that achieve LESSON 13. YOU CAN CONCENTRATE, BUT WILL YOU? All
permanent success deserve it. The man that is able to skilfully have the ability to concentrate. More ability not used than is used.
manage his business. How to realize your ambition. The Sometimes only a trifle keeps one from becoming a success. The
successful business attitude. Your opinion should be as good as fault is all your own. How to discover the cause if you are not
any one else. How many ruin their judgment. The man that gets making good. Make conditions favorable and do not expect them
the best results. A successful business not hard to build up; may be to shape themselves. Stumbling blocks but stepping stones. Hard
built up In a few years now whereas formerly it took a lifetime. Passages can be bridged if you just concentrate on them. Why
How to do more and better work. How to attract the ideas thought more people do not succeed. Don't be afraid of a rebuff. The man
out by others. Many attract forces and Influences that they should that knows no such thing as failure. Be ready for an opportunity
not. Broaden the visions of those you come in contact with. when it comes, No circumstances can keep the determined man
from succeeding.
LESSON 11. CONCENTRATE ON COURAGE. Lack of courage
creates financial, as well as mental and moral difficulties. The man LESSON 14. ART OF CONCENTRATING WITH PRACTICAL
without courage attracts all that is contemptible, weakening, EXERCISE. A daily habit will wonderfully increase your
demoralizing and destructive. It is just as easy to be courageous as concentration. Seeing yourself as you would like to be. Instruction
cowardly. Courage concentrates the mental forces on the task at of the greatest importance. The great creative spirit of the
hand. Cowardice dissipates both mental and moral forces. How to universe. Why things manifest as they do. The cosmic intelligence.
banish doubts. No one knows what they can do until they try. A most desired state. How to receive messages from the universal
Once you understand the law everything is possible. How to build mind. How to develop power, unknown to you before. Make your
mind a powerful transmitter of thought. The best time to practice LESSON 18. MENTAL CONTROL THROUGH CREATION. An
concentration exercises. How to rejuvenate every cell of your brain inventor's vision. Why It is easy to project your thoughts to
and body. An exercise that will give you a self-poised manner. another. How your mental powers can draw to you forces of a
Instead of a nervous strained appearance. Concentrating on the helpful nature. The big business man must possess mental power
powers within. Concentration will save your energy. How to keep of control. How to make a friend or relative succeed. How to
from getting irritable or nervous. The Eastern way of generate enthusiasm and the spirit of success. Your environment
concentrating. Exercise in controlling desires. is either helpful or harmful. Mental starvation. How to instil your
thoughts and ideas into others. Influence that must be shaken off
LESSON 15. CONCENTRATE SO YOU WILL NOT FORGET. Why before you can advance. Our attitude has more to do with success
people forget. An easy way to remember. How to deepen your than you realize.
impression. Exercise in Memory Concentration.
LESSON 19. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT. A most
LESSON 16. HOW CONCENTRATION CAN FULFILL YOUR effective and practical method of developing the Will. Practical
DESIRE. The desire to do implies the ability to do. Man has exercises. Will training without exercises. Will-power can
within him the power to gratify his every wish. If you have been overcome big obstacles. The Will to win. Man an unknown quality
unable to satisfy your longings, it is time you learn how to use your until his powers are developed. Ability plentiful, but organizing,
God-given powers. Priceless knowledge and unlimited possibilities initiative and creative power not so plentiful. The driving force
within you that Is foreign to most people. How to concentrate on within.
what you want and get it. The miraculous help we apparently
receive at times. How one man started a business on thirteen cents LESSON 20. CONCENTRATION REVIEWED. Those unable to
and in six years built up a business that pays him $6,000 a year. concentrate will generally suffer from poverty and unhappiness,
When you put forth the necessary concentrated effort you will The best instructor will only help you to the extent you put it into
receive great help from unknown sources. practice. Gaining the mastery of your work, life powers and forces.
Concentrate the dominant quality that makes men successful.
LESSON 17. IDEALS DEVELOP BY CONCENTRATION. Your Everyone can learn to concentrate better. An experiment to try.
happiness and success depends upon your ideals. A valuable Final instructions.
lesson. Through concentration we can work out our ideals In
physical life. What a different world this would be if we would
build the right kind of ideals. Every time you change your ideal
you think differently. Life is one continuous unfoldment. You can
be happy every step of its way or miserable as you please. How our
grandest thoughts come to us.
Man is a wonderful creature, but he must be trained and developed

to be useful. A great work can be accomplished by every man if he
INTRODUCTORY can be awakened to do his very best. But the greatest man would
not accomplish much if he lacked concentration and effort. Dwarfs
We all know that in order to accomplish a certain thing we must can often do the work of giants when they are transformed by the
concentrate. It is of the utmost value to learn how to concentrate. almost magic power of great mental concentration. But giants will
To make a success of anything you must be able to concentrate only do the work of dwarfs when they lack this power.
your entire thought upon the idea you are working out.
We accomplish more by concentration than by fitness; the man
Do not become discouraged, if you are unable to hold your thought that is apparently best suited for a place does not always fill it best.
on the subject very long at first. There are very few that can. It It is the man that concentrates on its every possibility that makes
seems a peculiar fact that it is easier to concentrate on something an art of both his work and his life.
that is not good for us, than on something that is beneficial. This
tendency is overcome when we learn to concentrate consciously. All your real advancement must come from your individual effort.
If you will just practice a few concentration exercises each day you This course of lessons will stimulate and inspire you to achieve
will find you will soon develop this wonderful power. success; it will bring you into perfect harmony with the laws of
success. It will give you a firmer hold on your duties and
Success is assured when you are able to concentrate for you are responsibilities.
then able to utilize for your good all constructive thoughts and shut
out all the destructive ones. It is of the greatest value to be able to The methods of thought concentration given in this work if put into
think only that which will be beneficial. practice will open up interior avenues that will connect you with
the everlasting laws of Being and their exhaustless foundation of
Did you ever stop to think what an important part your thoughts, unchangeable truth.
concentrated thoughts, play in your life? This book shows their
far-reaching and all-abiding effects. As most people are very different it is impossible to give
instructions that will be of the same value to all. The author has
These lessons you will find very practical. The exercises I have endeavored in these lessons to awaken that within the soul which
thoroughly tested. They are arranged so that you will notice an perhaps the book does not express. So study these lessons as a
improvement from the very start, and this will give you means of awakening and training that which is within yourself. Let
encouragement. They point out ways in which you can help all your acts and thoughts have the intensity and power of
yourself. concentration.
To really get the full benefit of these lessons you should read a on he begins to amount to something. Even old men have
page, then close the book and thoughtfully recall its ideas. If you suddenly changed and accomplished wonders. "I lost my
will do this you will soon cultivate a concentrated mental habit, opportunity," says one. That may be true, but by sheer force of
which will enable you to read with ordinary rapidity and remember will, we can find a way to bring us another opportunity. There is
all that you read. no truth in the saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once
in a lifetime. The fact is, opportunity never seeks us; we must seek
LESSON I. CONCENTRATION FINDS THE WAY it. What usually turns out to be one man's opportunity, was
another man's loss. In this day one man's brain is matched against
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other another's. It is often the quickness of brain action that determines
wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate the result. One man thinks "I will do it," but while he
on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain procrastinates the other goes ahead and does the work. They both
control. The will alone decides the issue. A man by one supreme have the same opportunity. The one will complain of his lost
effort of the will may change his whole career and almost chance. But it should teach him a lesson, and it will, if he is
accomplish miracles. You may be that man. You can be if you Will seeking the path that leads to success.
to be, for Will can find a way or make one.
Many persons read good books, but say they do not get much good
I could easily fill a book, of cases where men plodding along in a out of them. They do not realize that all any book or any lesson
matter-of-fact way, were all at once aroused and as if awakening course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities; to stimulate
from a slumber they developed the possibilities within them and them to use their will power. You may teach a person from now
from that time on were different persons. You alone can decide until doom's day, but that person will only know what he learns
when the turning point will come. It is a matter of choice whether himself. "You can lead him to the fountain, but you can't make him
we allow our diviner self to control us or whether we will be drink."
controlled by the brute within us. No man has to do anything he
does not want to do. He is therefore the director of his life if he One of the most beneficial practices I know of is that of looking for
wills to be. What we are to do, is the result of our training. We are the good in everyone and everything, for there is good in all things.
like putty, and can be completely controlled by our will power. We encourage a person by seeing his good qualities and we also
help ourselves by looking for them. We gain their good wishes, a
Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say: "He comes most valuable asset sometimes. We get back what we give out. The
by this or that naturally, a chip off the old block," meaning that he time comes when most all of us need encouragement; need
is only doing what his parents did. This is quite often the case, but buoying up. So form the habit of encouraging others, and you will
there is no reason for it, for a person can break a habit just the find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouraged and yourself,
moment he masters the "I will." A man may have been a "good- for you will get back encouraging and uplifting thoughts.
for-nothing" all his life up to this very minute, but from this time
Life furnishes us the opportunity to improve. But whether we do it hustler. There is always room for him because progressive firms
or not depends upon how near we live up to what is expected of us. never let a hustler leave their employment if they can help it.
The first of each month, a person should sit down and examine the
progress he has made. If he has not come up to "expectations" he The man that reaches the top is the gritty, plucky, hard worker and
should discover the reason, and by extra exertion measure up to never the timid, uncertain, slow worker. An untried man is seldom
what is demanded next time. Every time that we fall behind what put in a position of responsibility and power. The man selected is
we planned to do, we lose just so much for that time is gone one that has done something, achieved results in some line, or
forever. We may find a reason for doing it, but most excuses are taken the lead in his department. He is placed there because of his
poor substitutes for action. Most things are possible. Ours may be reputation of putting vigor and virility into his efforts, and because
a hard task, but the harder the task, the greater the reward. It is he has previously shown that he has pluck and determination.
the difficult things that really develop us, anything that requires
only a small effort, utilizes very few of our faculties, and yields a The man that is chosen at the crucial time is not usually a genius;
scanty harvest of achievement. So do not shrink from a hard task, he does not possess any more talent than others, but he has
for to accomplish one of these will often bring us more good than a learned that results can only be produced by untiring concentrated
dozen lesser triumphs. effort. That "miracles," in business do not just "happen." He
knows that the only way they will happen is by sticking to a
I know that every man that is willing to pay the price can be a proposition and seeing it through. That is the only secret of why
success. The price is not in money, but in effort. The first essential some succeed and others fail. The successful man gets used to
quality for success is the desire to do--to be something. The next seeing things accomplished and always feels sure of success. The
thing is to learn how to do it; the next to carry it into execution. man that is a failure gets used to seeing failure, expects it and
The man that is the best able to accomplish anything is the one attracts it to him.
with a broad mind; the man that has acquired knowledge, that
may, it is true, be foreign to this particular case, but is, It is my opinion that with the right kind of training every man
nevertheless, of some value in all cases. So the man that wants to could be a success. It is really a shame that so many men and
be successful must be liberal; he must acquire all the knowledge women, rich in ability and talent, are allowed to go to waste, so to
that he can; he must be well posted not only in one branch of his speak. Some day I hope to see a millionaire philanthropist start a
business but in every part of it. Such a man achieves success. school for the training of failures. I am sure he could not put his
money to a better use. In a year's time the science of practical
The secret of success is to try always to improve yourself no matter psychology could do wonders for him. He could have agencies on
where you are or what your position. Learn all you can. Don't see the lookout for men that had lost their grip on themselves; that had
how little you can do, but how much you can do. Such a man will through indisposition weakened their will; that through some
always be in demand, for he establishes the reputation of being a sorrow or misfortune had become discouraged. At first all they
need is a little help to get them back on their feet, but usually they
get a knock downwards instead. The result is that their latent necessities of life, yet, by sheer determination and resolute
powers never develop and both they and the world are the losers. I courage, they managed to exist somehow until they perfected their
trust that in the near future, someone will heed the opportunity of inventions, which afterwards greatly helped in bettering the
using some of his millions in arousing men that have begun to condition of others.
falter. All they need to be shown is that there is within them an
omnipotent source that is ready to aid them, providing they will Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will
make use of it. Their minds only have to be turned from despair to put forward the needed effort to make the necessary sacrifice to
hope to make them regain their hold. secure it. There is only one way to accomplish anything and that is
to go ahead and do it. A man may accomplish almost anything
When a man loses his grip today, he must win his redemption by today, if he just sets his heart on doing it and lets nothing interfere
his own will. He will get little encouragement or advice of an with his progress. Obstacles are quickly overcome by the man that
inspiring nature. He must usually regain the right road alone. He sets out to accomplish his heart's desire. The "bigger" the man, the
must stop dissipating his energies and turn his attention to smaller the obstacle appears. The "smaller" the man the greater
building a useful career. Today we must conquer our weakening the obstacle appears. Always look at the advantage you gain by
tendencies alone. Don't expect anyone to help you. Just take one overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for
big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolve to conquer your their conquest.
weaknesses and vices. Really none can do this for you. They can
encourage you; that is all. Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your
journey are likely to be rough. Don't let the rough places put you
I can think of nothing, but lack of health, that should interfere with out of commission. Keep on with the journey. Just the way you
one becoming successful. There is no other handicap that you weather the storm shows what material you are made of. Never sit
should not be able to overcome. To overcome a handicap, all that it down and complain of the rough places, but think how nice the
is necessary to do is to use more determination and grit and will. pleasant stretches were. View with delight the smooth plains that
are in front of you.
The man with grit and will, may be poor today and wealthy in a few
years; will power is a better asset than money; Will will carry you Do not let a setback stop you. Think of it as a mere incident that
over chasms of failure, if you but give it the chance. has to be overcome before you can reach your goal.
The men that have risen to the highest positions have usually had LESSON II. THE SELF-MASTERY: SELF-DIRECTION POWER
to gain their victories against big odds. Think of the hardships OF CONCENTRATION
many of our inventors have gone through before they became a
success. Usually they have been very much misunderstood by
relatives and friends. Very often they did not have the bare
Man from a psychological standpoint of development is not what 3. "An untrained mind."
he should be. He does not possess the self-mastery, the self-
directing power of concentration that is his by right. The last fault can soon be removed by systematic practice. It is
easiest to correct.
He has not trained himself in a way to promote his self-mastery.
Every balanced mind possesses the faculties whose chief duties are The impulsive and emotional state of mind can best be corrected
to engineer, direct and concentrate the operations of the mind, by restraining anger, passion and excitement, hatred, strong
both in a mental and physical sense. Man must learn to control not impulses, intense emotions, fretfulness, etc. It is impossible to
only his mind but his bodily movements. concentrate when you are in any of these excited states.
When the controlling faculties (autonomic) are in an untrained These can be naturally decreased by avoiding such food and drinks
condition, the impulses, passions, emotions, thoughts, actions and as have nerve weakening or stimulating influences, or a tendency
habits of the person suffer from lack of regulation, and the to stir up the passions, the impulses and the emotions; it is a very
procedure of mental concentration is not good, not because the good practice to watch and associate with those persons that are
mind is necessarily weak in the autonomic department of the steady, calm, controlled and conservative.
faculties, but because the mind is not properly trained.
Correcting the deficiency of the motor centers is harder because as
When the self-regulating faculties are not developed the impulses, the person's brain is undeveloped he lacks will power.
appetites, emotions and passions have full swing to do as they
please and the mind becomes impulsive, restless, emotional and To cure this takes some time. Persons so afflicted may benefit by
irregular in its action. This is what makes mental concentration reading and studying my course, "The Master Mind."[*]
poor.
[*] To be published by Advanced Thought Publishing Co., Chicago,
When the self-guiding faculties are weak in development, the Ill.
person always lacks the power of mental concentration. Therefore
you cannot learn to concentrate until you develop those very Many have the idea that when they get into a negative state they
powers that qualify you to be able to concentrate. So if you cannot are concentrating, but this is not so. They may be meditating,
concentrate one of the following is the cause: though not concentrating. Those that are in a negative state a good
deal of the time cannot, as a rule, concentrate very well; they
1. "Deficiency of the motor centers." develop instead abstraction of the mind, or absence of mind. Their
power of concentration becomes weaker and they find it difficult to
2. "An impulsive and emotional mind." concentrate on anything. They very often injure the brain, if they
keep up this state. To be able to concentrate you must possess
strength of mind. The person that is feeble-minded cannot hold a thought before it until all the faculties shall have had time to
concentrate his mind, because of lack of will. The mind that consider that thought is concentration.
cannot center itself on a special subject, or thought, is weak; also
the mind that cannot draw itself from a subject or thought is weak. The person that cannot direct his thoughts, wishes, plans,
But the person that can center his mind on any problem, no matter resolutions and studies cannot possibly succeed to the fullest
what it is, and remove any unharmonious impressions has strength extent. The person that is impulsive one moment and calm the
of mind. Concentration, first, last and all the time, means strength next has not the proper control over himself. He is not a master of
of mind. his mind, nor of his thoughts, feelings and wishes. Such a person
cannot be a success. When he becomes irritated, he irritates others
Through concentration a person is able to collect and hold his and spoils all chances of any concerned doing their best. But the
mental and physical energies at work. A concentrated mind pays person that can direct his energies and hold them at work in a
attention to thoughts, words, acts and plans. The person who concentrated manner controls his every work and act, and thereby
allows his mind to roam at will will never accomplish a great deal gains power to control others. He can make his every move serve a
in the world. He wastes his energies. If you work, think, talk and useful end and every thought a noble purpose.
act aimlessly, and allow your brain to wander from your subject to
foreign fields, you will not be able to concentrate. You concentrate In this day the man that gets excited and irritable should be looked
at the moment when you say, "I want to, I can, I will." upon as an undesirable person. The person of good breeding now
speaks with slowness and deliberation. He is cultivating more and
Some Mistakes Some People Make. If you waste your time reading more of a reposeful attitude. He is consciously attentive and holds
sensational stories or worthless newspaper items, you excite the his mind to one thing at a time. He shuts out everything else.
impulsive and the emotional faculties, and this means you are When you are talking to anyone give him your sole and undivided
weakening your power of concentration. You will not be a free attention. Do not let your attention wander or be diverted. Give
engineer, able to pilot yourself to success. no heed to anything else, but make your will and intellect act in
unison.
Concentration of the mind can only be developed by watching
yourself closely. All kinds of development commence with close Start out in the morning and see how self-poised you can remain
attention. You should regulate your every thought and feeling. all day. At times take an inventory of your actions during the day
When you commence to watch yourself and your own acts and also and see if you have kept your determination. If not, see that you do
the acts of other people, you use the faculties of autonomy, and, as tomorrow. The more self-poised you are the better will your
you continue to do so, you improve your faculties, until in time you concentration be. Never be in too much of a hurry; and,
can engineer your every thought, wish and plan. To be able to remember, the more you improve your concentration, the greater
focalize the mind on the object at hand in a conscious manner are your possibilities. Concentration means success, because you
leads to concentration. Only the trained mind can focalize. To are better able to govern yourself and centralize your mind; you
become more in earnest in what you do and this almost invariably When the mind can properly concentrate, all the energy of every
improves your chances for success. microscopic cell is directed into one channel and then there is a
powerful personal influence generated. Everyone possesses many
When you are talking to a person have your own plans in mind. millions of little trembling cells, and each one of these has a center
Concentrate your strength upon the purpose you are talking about. where life and energy are stored up and generated. If this energy is
Watch his every move, but keep your own plans before you. Unless not wasted but conserved and controlled, this person is influential,
you do, you will waste your energy and not accomplish as much as but when it is the opposite, he is not influential or successful.
you should.
Just as it is impossible for a steam engine to run with all its valves
I want you to watch the next person you see that has the reputation open, so is it impossible for you to waste your energy and run at
of being a strong character, a man of force. Watch and see what a your top speed. Each neuron in the gray layers of the brain is a
perfect control he has over his body. Then I want you to watch just psychic center of thought and action, each one is pulsating an
an ordinary person. Notice how he moves his eyes, arms, fingers; intelligent force of some kind, and when this force, your thoughts
notice the useless expenditure of energy. These movements all and motions, are kept in cheek by a conservative, systematic and
break down the vital cells and lessen the person's power in vital concentrated mind, the result will be magnetism, vitality and
and nerve directions. It is just as important for you to conserve health. The muscles, bones, ligaments, feet, hands and nerves, etc.,
your nervous forces as it is the vital forces. As an example we see are agents for carrying out the mandates of the mind. The sole
an engine going along the track very smoothly. Some one opens all purpose of the volitional faculties is to move the physical
the valves and the train stops. It is the same with you. If you want mechanism as the energy travels along the wires of nerves and
to use your full amount of steam, you must close your valves and muscles. Just for that reason, if you throw a voluntary control over
direct your power of generating mental steam toward one end. these messages, impulses, thoughts, emotions, physical
Center your mind on one purpose, one plan, one transaction. movements and over these physical instruments you develop your
faculties of self-mastery and to the extent you succeed here in
There is nothing that uses up nerve force so quickly as excitement. proportion will you develop the power of concentration.
This is why an irritable person is never magnetic; he is never
admired or loved; he does not develop those finer qualities that a
real gentleman possesses. Anger, sarcasm and excitement weaken Any exercise or work that excites the mind, stimulates the senses,
a person in this direction. The person that allows himself to get calls the emotions and appetites into action, confuses, terrifies or
excited will become nervous in time, because he uses up his nerve emotionalizes, weakens the power of concentration. This is why all
forces and his vital energies. The person that cannot control kind of excitement is bad. This is the reason why persons who
himself and keep from becoming excited cannot concentrate. drink strong drinks, who allow themselves to get into fits of
temper, who fight, who eat stimulating food, who sing and dance
and thus develop their emotions, who are sudden, vehement and
emotional, lack the power to concentrate. But those whose actions should do something or not, just think whether by doing it you will
are slower and directed by their intelligence develop concentration. grow or deteriorate, and act accordingly.
Sometimes dogmatic, wilful, excitable persons can concentrate, but
it is spasmodic, erratic concentration instead of controlled and I am a firm believer in "work when you work, and play when you
uniform concentration. Their energy works by spells; sometimes play." When you give yourself up to pleasure you can develop
they have plenty, other times very little; it is easily excited; easily concentration by thinking of nothing else but pleasure; when your
wasted. The best way to understand it is to compare it with the mind dwells on love, think of nothing but this and you will find you
discharge of a gun. If the gun goes off when you want it to, it can develop a more intense love than you ever had before. When
accomplishes the purpose, but if it goes off before you are ready for you concentrate your mind on the "you" or real self, and its
it, you will not only waste ammunition, but it is also likely to do wonderful possibilities, you develop concentration and a higher
some damage. That is just what most persons do. They allow their opinion of yourself. By doing this systematically, you develop
energy to explode, thus not only wasting it but endangering others. much power, because you cannot be systematic without
They waste their power, their magnetism and so injure their concentrating on what you are doing. When you walk out into the
chance of success. Such persons are never well liked and never will country and inhale the fresh air, studying vegetation, trees, etc.,
be until they gain control over themselves. you are concentrating. When you see that you are at your place of
business at a certain time each morning you are developing
It will be necessary for them to practice many different kinds of steadiness of habit and becoming systematic. If you form the habit
concentration exercises, and to keep them up for some time. They of being on time one morning, a little late the next, and still later
must completely overcome their sudden, erratic thoughts, and the following one, you are not developing concentration, but
regulate their emotions and movements. They must from morning whenever you fix your mind on a certain thought and hold your
to night train the mind to be steady, and direct and keep the mind on it at successive intervals, you develop concentration.
energies at work.
If you hold your mind on some chosen object, you centralize your
The lower area of the brain is the store house of the energy. Most attention, just like the lens of the camera centralizes on a certain
all persons have all the dynamic energy they need if they would landscape. Therefore always hold your mind on what you are
concentrate it. They have the machine, but they must also have the doing, no matter what it is. Keep a careful watch over yourself, for
engineer, or they will not go very far. The engineer is the self- unless you do your improvement will be very slow.
regulating, directing power. The person that does not develop his
engineering qualities will not accomplish much in life. The good Practice inhaling long, deep breaths, not simply for the
engineer controls his every act. All work assists in development. improvement of health, although that is no small matter, but also
By what you do you either advance or degenerate. This is a good for the purpose of developing more power, more love, more life.
idea to keep always in mind. When you are uncertain whether you All work assists in development.
You may think it foolish to try to develop concentration by taking When you shake hands with some one just think of your hand as
muscular exercises, but you must not forget that the mind is containing hundreds of individual minds, each having an
associated with muscle and nerve. When you steady your nerves intelligence of its own. When you put this feeling into your hand
and muscles, you steady your mind, but let your nerves get out of shake it shows personality. When you shake hands in a listless
order and your mind will become erratic and you will not possess way, it denotes timidity, lack of force and power of personality.
the power of direction, which, in other words, is concentration. When the hand grip is very weak and stiff, the person has little love
Therefore you understand how important exercises that steady the in his nature, no passion and no magnetism. When the hand shake
nerves and muscles are in developing concentration. is just the opposite, you will find that the nature is also. The
loveless person is non-magnetic and he shows that he is by his
Everyone is continually receiving impulses that must be directed non-magnetic hand shake. When two developed souls shake
and controlled if one is to lead a successful life. That is the reason hands, their clasps are never light. There is a thrill that goes
why a person must control the movements of his eyes, feet, fingers, through both when the two currents meet. Love arouses the
etc.; this is another reason why it is important to control his opposite currents of the positive and negative natures. When there
breathing. The slow, deep, prolonged exhalations are of wonderful is no love, life loses its charm. The hand quickly shows when love
value. They steady the circulation, the heart action, muscles and is being aroused. This is why you should study the art of hand
nerves of the mind. If the heart flutters, the circulation is not shaking and develop your social affections. A person that loves his
regular, and when the lung action is uneven, the mind becomes kind reflects love, but a person that hates reflects hate. The person
unsteady and not fit for concentration. This is why controlled with a bad nature, a hateful disposition, evil thoughts and feeling is
breathing is very important as a foundation for physical health. erratic, freakish and fitful. When you allow yourself to become
irritable, watch how you breathe and you will learn a valuable
You must not only concentrate your mind, but also the action of lesson. Watch how you breathe when you are happy. Watch your
the eyes, ears and fingers. Each of these contain miniature minds breathing when you harbor hate. Watch how you breathe when
that are controlled by the master engineer. You will develop much you feel in love with the whole world and noble emotions thrill you.
quicker if you thoroughly realize this. When filled with good thoughts, you breathe a plentiful supply of
oxygen into your lungs and love fills your soul. Love develops a
If you have ever associated with big men, or read their biographies, person, physically, mentally and socially. Breathe deeply when you
you will find that they usually let the others do the talking. It is are happy and you will gain life and strength; you will steady your
much easier to talk than it is to listen. There is no better exercise mind and you will develop your power of concentration and
for concentration than to pay close attention when some one is become magnetic and powerful.
talking. Besides learning from what they have to say, you may
develop both mental and physical concentration. If you want to get more out of life you must think more of love.
Unless you have real affection for something, you have no
sentiment, no sweetness, no magnetism. So arouse your love mind. As the mind is, so is the action. If it is uneasy, restless,
affections by your will and enter into a fuller life. erratic, unsteady, its actions are the same. When it is composed,
the mind is composed. Concentration means control of the mind
The hand of love always magnetizes, but it must be steady and and body. You cannot secure control over one without the other.
controlled. Love can be concentrated in your hand shake, and this
is one of the best ways to influence another. Many people who seem to lack ambition have sluggish minds.
They are steady, patient and seemingly have good control, but this
The next time you feel yourself becoming irritable, use your will does not say they are able to concentrate. These people are
and be patient. This is a very good exercise in self-control. It will indolent, inactive, slow and listless, because they lack energy; they
help you to keep patient if you will breathe slowly and deeply. If do not lose control because they have little force to control. They
you find you are commencing to speak fast, just control yourself have no temper and it therefore cannot disturb them. Their
and speak slowly and clearly. Keep from either raising or lowering actions are steady because they possess little energy. The natural
your voice and concentrate on the fact that you are determined to person is internally strong, energetic and forceful, but his energy,
keep your poise, and you will improve your power of concentration. force and strength, thoughts and physical movements are well
under his control.
When you meet people of some consequence, assume a reposeful
attitude before them. Do this at all times. Watch both them and If a person does not have energy, both mental and physical, he
yourself. Static exercises develop the motor faculties and increase must develop it. If he has energy which he cannot direct and hold
the power of concentration. If you feel yourself getting irritable, to a point he must learn to do so. A man may be very capable, but,
nervous or weak, stand squarely on your feet with your chest up unless he Wills to control his abilities, they will not do him any
and inhale deeply and you will see that your irritability will good.
disappear and a silent calm will pass over you.
We hear so much talk about the benefit of physical culture, but the
If you are in the habit of associating with nervous, irritable people, real benefit of this is really lost sight of. There is nothing that holds
quit it until you grow strong in the power of concentration, because the faculties at work in a sustained and continuous manner as
irritable, angry, fretful, dogmatic and disagreeable people will static exercises do. For, as stated before, when you learn to control
weaken what powers of resistance you have. the body, you are gaining control over the mind.
Any exercises that give you better control of the ears, fingers, eyes, LESSON III. HOW TO GAIN WHAT YOU WANT THROUGH
feet, help you to steady your mind; when your eye is steady, your CONCENTRATION
mind is steady. One of the best ways to study a person is to watch
his physical movements, for, when we study his actions, we are The ignorant person may say, "How can you get anything by
studying his mind. Because actions are the expressions of the merely wanting it? I say that through concentration you can get
anything you want. Every desire can be gratified. But whether it becoming president of that bank, and he did. His father told him
is, will depend upon you concentrating to have that desire fulfilled. never to tell anyone what that "P" stood for. A good deal of fun was
Merely wishing for something will not bring it. Wishing you had made of it by his associates. And they tried to find out what it
something shows a weakness and not a belief that you will really stood for, but they never did until he was made president and then
get it. So never merely wish, as we are not living in a "fairy age." he told the secret.
You use up just as much brain force in "vain imaginings" as you do
when you think of something worth while. Don't waste your mental powers in wishes. Don't dissipate your
energies by trying to satisfy every whim. Concentrate on doing
Be careful of your desires, make a mental picture of what you want something really worth while. The man that sticks to something is
and set your will to this until it materializes. Never allow yourself not the man that fails.
to drift without helm or rudder. Know what you want to do, and
strive with all your might to do it, and you will succeed. "Power to him who power exerts."--Emerson.
Feel that you can accomplish anything you undertake. Many Success to-day depends largely on concentrating on the Interior
undertake to do things, but feel when they start they are going to law of force, for when you do this you awaken those thought
fail and usually they do. I will give an illustration. A man goes to a powers or forces, which, when used in business, insures permanent
store for an article. The clerk says, "I am sorry, we have not it." results.
But the man that is determined to get that thing inquires if he
doesn't know where he can get it. Again receiving an Until you are able to do this you have not reached your limit in the
unsatisfactory answer the determined buyer consults the manager use of your forces. This great universe is interwoven with myriads
and finally he finds where the article can be bought. of forces. You make your own place, and whether it is important
depends upon you. Through the Indestructible and
That is the whole secret of concentrating on getting what you want. Unconquerable Law you can in time accomplish all right things
And, remember, your soul is a center of all-power, and you can and therefore do not be afraid to undertake whatever you really
accomplish what you will to. "I'll find a way or make one!" Is the desire to accomplish and are willing to pay for in effort. Anything
spirit that wins. I know a man that is now head of a large bank. He that is right is possible. That which is necessary will inevitably take
started there as a messenger boy. His father had a button made for place. If something is right it is your duty to do it, though the
him with a "P" on it and put it on his coat. He said, "Son, that 'P' is whole world thinks it to be wrong. "God and one are always a
a reminder that some day you are to be the president of your bank. majority," or in plain words, that omnipotent interior law which is
I want you to keep this thought in your mind. Every day do God, and the organism that represents you is able to conquer the
something that will put you nearer your goal." Each night after whole world if your cause is absolutely just. Don't say I wish I was
supper he would say, "Son, what did you do today?" In this way a great man. You can do anything that is proper and you want to
the thought was always kept in mind. He concentrated on do. Just say: You can. You will. You must. Just realize this and
the rest is easy. You have the latent faculties and forces to subdue Through concentrated thought power you can make yourself
anything that tries to interfere with your plans. whatever you please. By thought you can greatly increase your
efficiency and strength. You are surrounded by all kinds of
"Let-the-troubles-and-responsibilities-of-life-come-thick-and-fas thoughts, some good, others bad, and you are sure to absorb some
of the latter if you do not build up a positive mental attitude.
t. I-am-ready-for-them. My-soul-is-unconquerable. I-represent-
the-Infinite-law-of-force,-or-of-all-power. This-God-within-is-my- If you will study the needless moods of anxiety, worry,
all-sufficient-strength-and-ever-present-he lp-in-time-of-trouble. despondency, discouragement and others that are the result of
The-more-difficulties-the-greater-its-triumphs-through-me. The- uncontrolled thoughts, you will realize how important the control
harder-my-trials,-the-faster-I-go-in-the-development-of-my-in of your thoughts are. Your thoughts make you what you are.
herent-strength. Let-all-else-fail-me. This-interior-reliance-is-all-
sufficient. The-right-must-prevail. I-demand-wisdom-and-power- When I walk along the street and study the different people's faces
to-know-and-follow-the-right. My-higher-self-is-all-wise. I-now- I can tell how they spent their lives. It all shows in their faces, just
draw-nearer-to-it." like a mirror reflects their physical countenances. In looking in
those faces I cannot help thinking how most of the people you see
LESSON IV. CONCENTRATION, THE SILENT FORCE THAT have wasted their lives.
PRODUCES RESULTS IN ALL BUSINESS
The understanding of the power of thought will awaken
I want you first to realize how powerful thought is. A thought of possibilities within you that you never dreamed of. Never forget
fear has turned a person's hair gray in a night. A prisoner that your thoughts are making your environment, your friends, and
condemned to die was told that if he would consent to an as your thoughts change these will also. Is this not a practical
experiment and lived through it he would be freed. He consented. lesson to learn? Good thoughts are constructive. Evil thoughts are
They wanted to see how much blood a person could lose and still destructive. The desire to do right carries with it a great power. I
live. They arranged that blood would apparently drop from a cut want you to thoroughly realize the importance of your thoughts,
made in his leg. The cut made was very slight, from which and how to make them valuable, to understand that your thoughts
practically no blood escaped. The room was darkened, and the come to you over invisible wires and influence you.
prisoner thought the dropping he heard was really coming from his
leg. The next morning he was dead through mental fear. If your thoughts are of a high nature, you become connected with
people of the same mental caliber and you are able to help yourself.
The two above illustrations will give you a little idea of the power of If your thoughts are tricky, you will bring tricky people to deal with
thought. To thoroughly realize the power of thought is worth a you, who will try to cheat you.
great deal to you.
If your thoughts are right kind, you will inspire confidence in those You have concentrated within powers that if developed will bring
with whom you are dealing. you happiness greater than you can even imagine. Most people go
rushing through life, literally driving away the very things they
As you gain the good will of others your confidence and strength seek. By concentration you can revolutionize your life, accomplish
will increase. You will soon learn the wonderful value of your infinitely more and without a great effort.
thoughts and how serene you can become even when
circumstances are the most trying. Look within yourself and you will find the greatest machine ever
made.
Such thoughts of Right and Good Will bring you into harmony with
people that amount to something in the world and that are able to How to Speak Wisely. In order to speak wisely you must secure at
give you help if you should need it, as nearly everyone does at least a partial concentration of the faculties and forces upon the
times. subject at hand. Speech interferes with the focusing powers of the
mind, as it withdraws the attention to the external and therefore is
You can now see why it is so important to concentrate your hardly to be compared with that deep silence of the subconscious
thoughts in the proper channels. It is very necessary that people mind, where deep thoughts, and the silent forces of high potency
should have confidence in you. When two people meet they have are evolved. It is necessary to be silent before you can speak
not the time to look each other up. They accept each other wisely. The person that is really alert and well poised and able to
according to instinct which can usually be relied on. speak wisely under trying circumstances, is the person that has
practiced in the silence. Most people do not know what the silence
You meet a person and his attitude creates a suspicion in you. The is and think it is easy to go into the silence, but this is not so. In
chances are you cannot tell why, but something tells you, "Have no the real silence we become attached to that interior law and the
dealings with him, for if you do, you will be sorry." Thoughts forces become silent, because they are in a state of high potency, or
produce actions. Therefore be careful of your thoughts. Your life beyond the vibratory sounds to which our external ears are
will be molded by the thoughts you have. A spiritual power is attuned. He who desires to become above the ordinary should
always available to your thought, and when you are worthy you can open up for himself the interior channels which lead to the
attract all the good things without a great effort on your part. absolute law of the omnipotent. You can only do this by
persistently and intelligently practicing thought concentration.
The sun's rays shine down on our gardens, but we can plant trees Hold the thought:
that will interfere with the sun light. There are invisible forces
ready to help you if you do not think and act to intercept these. In-silence-I-will-allow-my-higher-self-to-have-complete-control.
These forces work silently. "You reap what you sow." I-will-be-true-to-my-higher-self. I-will-live-true-to-my-
conception-of-what-is-right. I-realize-that-it-is-to-my-self-
interest-to-live-up-to-my-best. I-demand-wisdom-so that-I-may- awakened. You begin to experience conscious thought

act-wisely-for-myself-and-others. constructions.
In the next chapter I will tell you of the mysterious law, which links If you will just realize that through deep concentration you become
all humanity together, by the powers of co-operative thought, and linked with thoughts of omnipotence, you will kill out entirely your
chooses for us companionship and friends. belief in your limitations and at the same time will drive away all
fear and other negative and destructive thought forces which
LESSON V. HOW CONCENTRATED THOUGHT LINKS ALL constantly work against you. In the place of these you will build up
HUMANITY TOGETHER a strong assurance that your every venture will be successful.
When you learn thus how to concentrate and reinforce your
It is within your power to gratify your every wish. Success is the thought, you control your mental creations; they in turn help to
result of the way you think. I will show you how to think to be mould your physical environment, and you become the master of
successful. circumstances and the ruler of your kingdom.
The power to rule and attract success is within yourself. The It is just as easy to surround your life with what you want as it is
barriers that shut these off from you are subject to your control. with what you don't want. It is a question to be decided by your
You have unlimited power to think and this is the link that will. There are no walls to prevent you from getting what you want,
connects you with your omniscient source. providing you want what is right. If you choose something that is
not right, you are in opposition to the omnipotent plans of the
Success is the result of certain moods of mind or ways of thinking. universe and deserve to fail. But, if you will base your desires on
These moods can be controlled by you and produced at will. justice and good will, you avail yourself of the helpful powers of
universal currents, and instead of having a handicap to work
You have been evolved to what you are from a lowly atom because against, can depend upon ultimate success, though the outward
you possessed the power to think. This power will never leave you, appearances may not at first be bright.
but will keep urging you on until you reach perfection. As you
evolve, you create new desires and these can be gratified. The Never stop to think of temporary appearances, but maintain an
power to rule lies within you. The barriers that keep you from unfaltering belief in your ultimate success. Make your plans
ruling are also within you. These are the barriers of ignorance. carefully, and see that they are not contrary to the tides of
universal justice. The main thing for you to remember is to keep at
Concentrated thought will accomplish seemingly impossible results bay the destructive and opposing forces of fear and anger and their
and make you realize your fondest ambitions. At the same time satellites.
that you break down barriers of limitation new ambitions will be
There is no power so great as the belief which comes from the

knowledge that your thought is in harmony with the divine laws of It is not always necessary to think of the success of a venture when
thought and the sincere conviction that your cause is right. You you are actually engaged in it. For when the body is inactive the
may be able seemingly to accomplish results for a time even if your mind is most free to catch new ideas that will further the
cause is unjust, but the results will be temporary, and, in time, you opportunity you are seeking. When you are actually engaged in
will have to tear down your thought edifice and build on the true doing something, you are thinking in the channels you have
foundation of Right. previously constructed and the work does not have to be done over
again.
Plans that are not built on truth produce discordant vibrations and
are therefore self-destructive. Never try to build until you can When you are in a negative mood the intuitions are more active, for
build right. It is a waste of time to do anything else. You may you are not then controlling your thoughts by the will. Everything
temporarily put aside your desire to do right, but its true vibrations we do. Should have the approval of the intuition.
will interfere with your unjust plans until you are forced back into
righteous paths of power. When you are in a negative mood you attract thoughts of similar
nature through the law of affinity. That is why it is so important to
All just causes succeed in time, though temporarily they may fail. form thoughts of a success nature to attract similar ones. If you
So if you should face the time when everything seems against you, have never made a study of this subject, you may think this is all
quiet your fears, drive away all destructive thoughts and uphold the foolishness, but it is a fact that there are thought currents that
dignity of your moral and spiritual life. unerringly bring thoughts of a similar nature. Many persons who
think of failure actually attract failure by their worries, their
"Where There Is A Will There Is A Way." The reason this is so is anxieties, their overactivity. These thoughts are bound to bring
that the Will can make a way if given the chance to secure the failure. When you once learn the laws of thought and think of
assistance of aiding forces. The more it is developed the higher the nothing but Good, Truth, Success, you will make more progress
way to which it will lead. with less effort than you ever made before.
When everything looks gloomy and discouraging, then is the time There are forces that can aid the mind that are hardly dreamed of
to show what you are made of by rejoicing that you can control by the average person. When you learn to believe more in the
your moods by making them as calm, serene and bright as if value of thought and its laws you will be led aright and your
prosperity were yours. business gains will multiply.
"Be faithful in sowing the thought seeds of success, in perfect trust The following method may assist you in gaining better thought
that the sun will not cease to shine and bring a generous harvest in control. If you are unable to control your fears, just say to your
one season." faulty determination, "Do not falter or be afraid, for I am not really
alone. I am surrounded by invisible forces that will assist me to

remove the unfavorable appearances." Soon you will have more The will does not act with clearness, decision and promptness
courage. The only difference between the fearless man and the unless it is trained to do so. There are comparatively few that
fearful one is in his will, his hope. So if you lack success, believe in really know what they are doing every minute of the day. This is
it, hope for it, claim it. You can use the same method to brace up because they do not observe with sufficient orderliness and
your thoughts of desire, aspiration, imagination, expectation, accuracy to know what they are doing. It is not difficult to know
ambition, understanding, trust and assurance. what you us doing all the time, if you will just practice
concentration and with a reposeful deliberation, and train yourself
If you get anxious, angry, discouraged, undecided or worried, it is to think clearly, promptly, and decisive. If you allow yourself to
because you are not receiving the co-operation of the higher worry or hurry in what you are doing, this will not be clearly
powers of your mind. By your Will you can so organize the powers photographed upon the sensitized plate of the subjective mind, and
of the mind that your moods change only as you want them to you therefore will not be really conscious of your actions. So
instead of as circumstances affect you. practice accuracy and concentration of thought, and also absolute
truthfulness and you will soon be able to concentrate.
I was recently asked if I advised concentrating on what you eat, or
what you see while walking. My reply was that no matter what you LESSON VI. THE TRAINING OF THE WILL TO DO
may be doing, when in practice think of nothing else but that act at
the time. The idea is to be able to control your unimportant acts, The Will To Do is the greatest power in the world that is concerned
otherwise you set up a habit that it will be hard to overcome, with human accomplishment and no one can in advance determine
because your faculties have not been in the habit of concentrating. its limits.
Your faculties cannot be disorganized one minute and organized
the next. If you allow the mind to wander while you are doing The things that we do now would have been a few ages ago
small things, it will be likely to get into mischief and make it hard impossibilities. Today the safe maxim is: "All things are possible."
to concentrate on the important act when it comes.
The Will To Do is a force that is strictly practical, yet it is difficult
The man that is able to concentrate is the happy, busy man. Time to explain just what it is. It can be compared to electricity because
does not drag with him. He always has plenty to do. He does not we know it only through its cause and effects. It is a power we can
have time to think over past mistakes, which would make him direct and to just the extent we direct it do we determine our
unhappy. future. Every time you accomplish any definite act, consciously or
unconsciously, you use the principle of the Will. You can Will to do
If despite our discouragement and failures, we claim our great anything whether it is right or wrong, and therefore the way you
heritage, "life and truth and force, like an electric current," will use your will makes a big difference in your life.
permeate our lives until we enter into our "birthright in eternity."
Every person possesses some "Will To Do." It is the inner energy faults, one by one, until you have built up a strong character and
which controls all conscious acts. What you will to do directs your personality.
life forces. All habits, good or bad, are the result of what you will to
do. You improve or lower your condition in life by what you will to Rules for Improvement. A desire arises. Now think whether this
do. Your will has a connection with all avenues of knowledge, all would be good for you. If it is not, use your Will Power to kill out
activities, all accomplishment. the desire, but, on the other hand, if it is a righteous desire,
summon all your Will Power to your aid, crush all obstacles that
You probably know of cases where people have shown wonderful confront you and secure possession of the coveted Good.
strength under some excitement, similar to the following: The
house of a farmer's wife caught on fire. No one was around to help Slowness in Making Decisions. This is a weakness of Will Power.
her move anything. She was a frail woman, and ordinarily was You know you should do something, but you delay doing it through
considered weak. On this occasion she removed things from the lack of decision. It is easier not to do a certain thing than to do it,
house that it later took three men to handle. It was the "Will To but conscience says to do it. The vast majority of persons are
Do" that she used to accomplish her task. failures because of the lack of deciding to do a thing when it should
be done. Those that are successful have been quick to grasp
Genius Is But A Will To Do Little Things With Infinite Pains. Little opportunities by making a quick decision. This power of will can
Things Well Done Open The Door Of Opportunity For Bigger be used to bring culture, wealth and health.
Things.
Some Special Pointers. For the next week try to make quicker
The Will accomplishes its greater results through activities that decisions in your little daily affairs. Set the hour you wish to get up
grow out of great concentration in acquiring the power of voluntary and arise exactly at the fixed time. Anything that you should
attention to such an extent that we can direct it where we will and accomplish, do on or ahead of time. You want, of course, to give
hold it steadily to its task until our aim is accomplished. When you due deliberation to weighty matters, but by making quick decisions
learn so to use it, your Will Power becomes a mighty force. Almost on little things you will acquire the ability to make quick decisions
everything can be accomplished through its proper use. It is in bigger things. Never procrastinate. Decide quickly one way or
greater than physical force because it can be used to control not the other even at the risk of deciding wrong. Practice this for a
only physical but mental and moral forces. week or two and notice your improvement.
There are very few that possess perfectly developed and balanced The Lack of Initiative. This, too, keeps many men from succeeding.
Will Power, but those who do easily crush out their weak qualities. They have fallen into the way of imitating others in all that they do.
Study yourself carefully. Find out your greatest weakness and then Very often we hear the expression, "He seems clever enough, but
use your will power to overcome it. In this way eradicate your he lacks initiative." Life for them is one continuous grind. Day
after day they go through the same monotonous round of duties,
while those that are "getting along" are using their initiative to get what the "finish leads to." You must select a road that will lead to
greater fullness of life. There is nothing so responsible for poverty "somewhere," rather than "nowhere." The journey must be
as this lack of initiative, this power to think and do for ourselves. productive of some kind of substantial results. The trouble with so
many young men is that they launch enterprises without any end in
You Are as Good as Anyone. You have will power, and if you use it, sight. It is not so much the start as the finish of a journey that
you will get your share of the luxuries of life. So use it to claim counts. Each little move should bring you nearer the goal which
your own. Don't depend on anyone else to help you. We have to you planned to reach before the enterprise began.
fight our own battles. All the world loves a fighter, while the
coward is despised by all. Lack of Perseverance is nothing but the lack of the Will To Do. It
takes the same energy to say, "I will continue," as to say, "I give
Every person's problems are different, so I can only say "analyze up." Just the moment you say the latter you shut off your dynamo,
your opportunities and conditions and study your natural and your determination is gone. Every time you allow your
abilities." Form plans for improvement and then put them into determination to be broken you weaken it. Don't forget this. Just
operation. Now, as I said before, don't just say, "I am going to do the instant you notice your determination beginning to weaken,
so and so," but carry your plan into execution. Don't make an concentrate on it and by sheer Will Power make it continue on the
indefinite plan, but a definite one, and then don't give up until your "job."
object has been accomplished. Put these suggestions into practice
with true earnestness, and you will soon note astonishing results, Never try to make a decision when you are not in a calm state of
and your whole life will be completely changed. An excellent motto mind. If in a "quick temper," you are likely to say things you
for one of pure motives is: Through my will power I dare do what I afterwards regret. In anger, you follow impulse rather than reason.
want to. You will find this affirmation has a very strengthening No one can expect to achieve success if he makes decisions when
effect. not in full control of his mental forces.
The Spirit of Perseverance. The spirit of "sticktoitiveness" is the Therefore make it a fixed rule to make decisions only when at your
one that wins. Many go just so far and then give up, whereas, if best. If you have a "quick temper," you can quickly gain control
they had persevered a little longer, they would have won out. over it by simple rule of counting backwards. To count backwards
Many have much initiative, but instead of concentrating it into one requires concentration, and you thus quickly regain a calm state.
channel, they diffuse it through several, thereby dissipating it to In this way you can break the "temper habit."
such an extent that its effect is lost.
It will do you a lot of good to think over what you said and thought
Develop more determination, which is only the Will To Do, and the last time you were angry. Persevere until you see yourself as
when you start out to do something stick to it until you get results. others see you. It would do no harm to write the scene out in story
Of course, before starting anything you must look ahead and see
form and then sit in judgment of the character that played your I will not here attempt to explain the silent force that achieves
part. results. You want to develop your mental powers so you can effect
the thing sought, and that is what I want to teach you. There is
Special Instructions to Develop the Will To Do. This is a form of wonderful power and possibility in the concentrated Mental
mental energy, but requires the proper mental attitude to make it Demand. This, like all other forces, is controlled by laws. It can,
manifest. We hear of people having wonderful will power, which like all other forces, be wonderfully increased by consecutive,
really is wrong. It should be said that they use their will power systematized effort.
while with many it is a latent force. I want you to realize that no
one has a monopoly on will power. There is plenty for all. What The mental demand must be directed by every power of the mind
we speak of as will power is but the gathering together of mental and every possible element should be used to make the demand
energy, the concentration power at one point. So never think of materialize. You can so intently desire a thing that you can exclude
that person as having a stronger will than yours. Each person will all distracting thoughts. When you practice this singleness of
be supplied with just that amount of will power that he demands. concentration until you attain the end sought, you have developed
You don't have to develop will power if you constantly make use of a Will capable of accomplishing whatever you wish.
all you have, and remember the way in which you use it determines
your fate, for your life is moulded to great extent by the use you As long as you can only do the ordinary things you will be counted
make of your will. Unless you make proper use of it you have in the mass of mediocrity. But just as quick as you surpass others
neither independence nor firmness. You are unable to control by even comparatively small measure, you are classed as one of
yourself and become a mere machine for others to use. It is more life's successes. So, if you wish to emerge into prominence, you
important to learn to use your will than to develop your intellect. must accomplish something more than the ordinary man or
The man that has not learned how to use his will rarely decides woman. It is easy to do this if you will but concentrate on what you
things for himself, but allows his resolutions to be changed by desire, and put forth your best effort. It is not the runner with the
others. He fluctuates from one opinion to another, and of course longest legs or the strongest muscles that wins the race, but the one
does not accomplish anything out of the ordinary, while his brother that can put forth the greatest desire force. You can best
with the trained will takes his place among the world's leaders. understand this by thinking of an engine. The engine starts up
slowly, the engineer gradually extending the throttle to the top
LESSON VII. THE CONCENTRATED MENTAL DEMAND notch. It is then keyed up to its maximum speed. The same is true
of two runners. They start off together and gradually they increase
The Mental Demand is the potent force in achievement. The their desire to go faster. The one that has the greatest intensity of
attitude of the mind affects the expression of the face, determines desire will win. He may outdistance the other by only a fraction of
action, changes our physical condition and regulates our lives. an inch, yet he gets the laurels.
The men that are looked upon as the world's successes have not
always been men of great physical power, nor at the start did they The Mental Demand seems an unreal power because it is
seem very well adapted to the conditions which encompassed intangible; but it is the mightiest power in the world. It is a power
them. In the beginning they were not considered men of superior that is free for you to use. No one can use it for you. The Mental
genius, but they won their success by their resolution to achieve Demand is not a visionary one. It is a potent force, which you can
results in their undertakings by permitting no set-back to use freely without cost. When you are in doubt it will counsel you.
dishearten them; no difficulties to daunt them. Nothing could turn It will guide you when you are uncertain. When you are in fear it
them or influence them against their determination. They never will give you courage. It is the motive power which supplies the
lost sight of their goal. In all of us there is this silent force of energies necessary to the achievement of the purpose. You have a
wonderful power. If developed, it can overcome conditions that large store house of possibilities. The Mental Demand makes
would seem insurmountable. It is constantly urging us on to possibilities realities. It supplies everything necessary for the
greater achievement. The more we become acquainted with it the accomplishment, It selects the tools and instructs how to use them.
better strategists we become, the more courage we develop and the It makes you understand the situation. Every time you make a
greater the desire within us for self-expression in activity along Mental Demand you strengthen the brain centers by drawing to
many lines. you external forces.
No one will ever be a failure if he becomes conscious of this silent Few realize the power of a Mental Demand. It is possible to make
force within that controls his destiny. But without the your demand so strong that you can impart what you have to say to
consciousness of this inner force, you will not have a clear vision, another without speaking to him. Have you ever, after planning to
and external conditions will not yield to the power of your mind. It discuss a certain matter with a friend, had the experience of having
is the mental resolve that makes achievement possible. Once this him broach the subject before you had a chance to speak of it?
has been formed it should never be allowed to cease to press its Have you ever, in a letter, made a suggestion to a friend that he
claim until its object is attained. To make plans work out it will, at carried out before your letter reached him? Have you ever wanted
times, be necessary to use every power of your mind. Patience, to speak to a person who, just then walked in or telephoned. I have
perseverance and all the indomitable forces within one will have to had many such responses to thought and you and your friends have
be mustered and used with the greatest effectiveness. doubtless experienced them, too.
Perseverance is the first element of success. In order to persevere These two things are neither coincidences nor accidents, but are
you must be ceaseless in your application. It requires you to the results of mental demand launched by strong concentration.
concentrate your thoughts upon your undertaking and bring every
energy to bear upon keeping them focused upon it until you have The person that never wants anything gets little. To demand
accomplished your aim. To quit short of this is to weaken all future resolutely is the first step toward getting what you want.
efforts.
The power of the Mental Demand seems absolute, the supply

illimitable. The mental demand projects itself and causes to And every man of AVERAGE ability, the ordinary man that you see
materialize the conditions and opportunities needed to accomplish about you, can be really successful, independent, free of worry, HIS
the purpose. Do not think I over estimate the value of the Mental OWN MASTER, if he can manage to do just two things.
Demand. It brings the fuller life if used for only righteous
purposes. Once the Mental Demand is made, however, never let it First, remain forever dissatisfied with what he IS doing and with
falter. If you do the current that connects you with your desire is what he HAS accomplished.
broken. Take all the necessary time to build a firm foundation, so
that there need not be even an element of doubt to creep in. Just Second, develop in his mind a belief that the word impossible was
the moment you entertain "doubt" you lose some of the demand not intended or him. Build up in his mind the confidence that
force, and force once lost is hard to regain. So whenever you make enables the mind to use its power.
a mental demand hold steadfastly to it until your need is supplied.
Many, especially the older men, will ask:
I want to repeat again that Power of Mental Demand is not a
visionary one. It is concentrated power only, and can be used by "How can I build up that self-confidence in my brain? How can I,
you. It is not supernatural power, but requires a development of after months and years of discouragement, of dull plodding,
the brain centers. The outcome is sure when it is given with a suddenly conceive and carry out a plan for doing something that
strong resolute determination. will mike life worth while and change the monotonous routine?
No person will advance to any great extent, until he recognizes this "How can a man get out of a rut after he has been in it for years and
force within him. If you have not become aware of it, you have not has settled down to the slow jog-trot that leads to the grave?"
made very much of a success of your life. It is this "something"
that distinguishes that "man" from other men. It is this subtle The answer is the thing can be done, and millions have done it.
power that develops strong personality.
One of the names most honored among the great men of France is
If you want a great deal you must demand a great deal. Once you that of Littre, who wrote and compiled the great French dictionary-
make your demand, anticipate its fulfillment. It depends upon us. -a monument of learning. He is the man whose place among the
We are rewarded according to our efforts. The Power of Mental forty immortals of France was taken by the great Pasteur, when the
Demand can bring us what we want. We become what we latter was elected to the Academy.
determine to be. We control our own destiny.
Littre BEGAN the work that makes him famous when he was more
Get the right mental attitude, then in accordance with your ability than sixty years old.
you can gain success.
LESSON VIII. CONCENTRATION GIVES MENTAL POISE home. Just as sure as you do you will be burning the life forces at
both ends and the fire will go out much sooner than was intended.
You will find that the man that concentrates is well poised, whereas
the man that allows his mind to wander is easily upset. When in Many men become so absorbed in their business that when they go
this state wisdom does not pass from the subconscious storehouse to church they do not hear the preacher because their minds are on
into the consciousness. There must be mental quiet before the two their business. If they go to the theater they do not enjoy it because
consciousnesses can work in harmony. When you are able to their business is on their minds. When they go to bed they think
concentrate you have peace of mind. about business instead of sleep and wonder why they don't sleep.
This is the wrong kind of concentration and is dangerous. It is
If you are in the habit of losing your poise, form the habit of involuntary. When you are unable to get anything out of your
reading literature that has a quieting power. Just the second you mind it becomes unwholesome as any thought held continuously
feel your poise slipping, say, "Peace," and then hold this thought in causes weariness of the flesh. It is a big mistake to let a thought
mind and you will never lose your self-control. rule you, instead of ruling it. He who does not rule himself is not a
success. If you cannot control your concentration, your health will
There cannot be perfect concentration until there is peace of mind. suffer.
So keep thinking peace, acting peace, until you are at peace with all
the world. For when once you have reached this state there will be So never become so absorbed with anything that you cannot lay it
no trouble to concentrate on anything you wish. aside and take up another. This is self-control.
When you have peace of mind you are not timid or anxious, or Concentration Is Paying Attention to a Chosen Thought.
fearful, or rigid and you will not allow any disturbing thought to Everything that passes before the eye makes an impression on the
influence you. You cast aside all fears, and think of yourself as a subconscious mind, but unless you pay attention to some certain
spark of the Divine Being, as a manifestation of the "One Universal thing you will not remember what you saw. For instance if you
Principle" that fills all space and time. Think of yourself thus as a walked down a busy street without seeing anything that attracted
child of the infinite, possessing infinite possibilities. your particular attention, you could not recall anything you saw.
So you see only what attracts your attention. If you work you only
Write on a piece of paper, "I have the power to do and to be see and remember what you think about. When you concentrate
whatever I wish to do and be." Keep this mentally before you, and on something it absorbs your whole thought.
you will find the thought will be of great help to you.
Self-Study Valuable. Everyone has some habits that can be
The Mistake of Concentrating on Your Business While Away. In overcome by concentration. We will say for instance, you are in the
order to be successful today, you must concentrate, but don't habit of complaining, or finding fault with yourself or others; or,
become a slave to concentration, and carry your business cares imagining that you do not possess the ability of others; or feeling
that you are not as good as someone else; or that you cannot rely If you will study all of the great characters of history you will find
on yourself; or harboring any similar thoughts or thoughts of that they were enthusiastic. First they were enthusiastic
weakness. These should be cast aside and instead thoughts of themselves, and then they could arouse others' enthusiasm. It is
strength should be put in their place. Just remember every time latent in everyone. It is a wonderful force when once aroused. All
you think of yourself as being weak, in some way you are making public men to be a success have to possess it. Cultivate it by
yourself so by thinking you are. Our mental conditions make us concentration. Set aside some hour of the day, wherein to hold
what we are. Just watch yourself and see how much time you rapt converse with the soul. Meditate with sincere desire and
waste in worrying, fretting and complaining. The more of it you do contrite heart and you will be able to accomplish that which you
the worse off you are. have meditated on. This is the keynote of success.
Just the minute you are aware of thinking a negative thought "Think, speak and act just as you wish to be, And you will be that
immediately change to a positive one. If you start to think of which you wish to be."
failure, change to thinking of success. You have the germ of
success within you. Care for it the same as the setting hen broods You are just what you think you are and not what you may appear
over the eggs and you can make it a reality. to be. You may fool others but not yourself. You may control your
life and actions just as you can control your hands. If you want to
You can make those that you come in contact with feel as you do, raise your hand you must first think of raising it. If you want to
because you radiate vibrations of the way you feel and your control your life you must first control your thinking. Easy to do, is
vibrations are felt by others. When you concentrate on a certain it not? Yes it is, if you will but concentrate on what you think
thing you turn all the rays of your vibrations on this. Thought is about.
the directing power of all Life's vibrations. If a person should enter
a room with a lot of people and feel as if he were a person of no For he only can That says he will.
consequence no one would know he was there unless they saw him,
and even if they did, they would not remember seeing him, because How can we secure concentration? To this question, the first and
they were not attracted towards him. But let him enter the room last answer must be: By interest and strong motive. The stronger
feeling that he was magnetic and concentrating on this thought, the motive the greater the concentration.--Eustace Miller, M. D.
others would feel his vibration. So remember the way you feel you
can make others feel. This is the law. Make yourself a The Successful Lives Are the Concentrated Lives. The utterly
concentrated dynamo from which your thoughts vibrate to others. helpless multitude that sooner or later have to be cared for by
Then you are a power in the world. Cultivate the art of feeling, for charity, are those that were never able to concentrate, and who
as I said before you can only make others feel what you feel. have become the victims of negative ideas.
Train yourself so you will be able to centralize your thought and Concentration is just a case of willing to do a certain thing and
develop your brain power, and increase your mental energy, or you doing it.
can be a slacker, a drifter, a quitter or a sleeper. It all depends on
how you concentrate, or centralize your thoughts. Your thinking If you want to accomplish anything first put yourself in a
then becomes a fixed power and you do not waste time thinking concentrating, reposeful, receptive, acquiring frame of mind. In
about something that would not be good for you. You pick out the tackling unfamiliar work make haste slowly and deliberately and
thoughts that will be the means of bringing you what you desire, then you will secure that interior activity, which is never possible
and they become a material reality. Whatever we create in the when you are in a hurry or under a strain. When you "think hard"
thought world will some day materialize. That is the law. Don't or try to hurry results too quickly, you generally shut off the
forget this. interior flow of thoughts and ideas. You have often no doubt tried
hard to think of something but could not, but just as soon as you
In the old days men drifted without concentration but this is a day stopped trying to think of it, it came to you.
of efficiency and therefore all of our efforts must be concentrated,
if we are to win any success worth the name. LESSON IX. CONCENTRATION CAN OVERCOME BAD HABITS
Why People Often Do Not Get What They Concentrate On. Habits make or break us to a far greater extent than we like to
Because they sit down in hopeless despair and expect it to come to admit. Habit is both a powerful enemy and wonderful ally of
them. But if they will just reach out for it with their biggest effort concentration. You must learn to overcome habits which are
they will find it is within their reach. No one limits us but injurious to concentration, and to cultivate those which increase it.
ourselves. We are what we are today as the result of internal
conditions. We can control the external conditions. They are The large majority of people are controlled by their habits and are
subject to our will. buffeted around by them like waves of the ocean tossing a piece of
wood. They do things in a certain way because of the power of
Through our concentration we can attract what we want, because habit. They seldom ever think of concentrating on why they do
we became enrapport with the Universal forces, from which we can them this or that way, or study to see if they could do them in a
get what we want. better way. Now my object in this chapter is to get you to
concentrate on your habits so you can find out which are good and
You have watched races no doubt. They all line up together. Each which are bad for you. You will find that by making a few needed
has his mind set on getting to the goal before the others. This is changes you can make even those that are not good for you, of
one kind of concentration. A man starts to think on a certain service; the good habits you can make much better.
subject. He has all kinds of thoughts come to him, but by
concentration he shuts out all these but the one he has chosen. The first thing I want you to realize is that all habits are governed
consciously or unconsciously by the will. Most of us are forming
new habits all the time. Very often, if you repeat something several of forming the right kind of habits what a different world this
times in the same way, you will have formed the habit of doing it would be. How much happier everyone would be. Then all instead
that way. But the oftener you repeat it the stronger that habit of the few might win success.
grows and the more deeply it becomes embedded in your nature.
After a habit has been in force for a long time, it becomes almost a Habits are formed more quickly when we are young, but if we have
part of you, and is therefore hard to overcome. But you can still already passed the youthful plastic period the time to start to
break any habit by strong concentration on its opposite. control our habits is right now, as we will never be any younger.
"All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits-- You will find the following maxims worth remembering.
practical, emotional, and intellectual--systematically organized, for
our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny First Maxim:
whatever the latter may be."
"We must make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy."
We are creatures of habits, "imitators and copiers of our past
selves." We are liable to be "bent" or "curved" as we can bend a Second Maxim:
piece of paper, and each fold leaves a crease, which makes it easier
to make the fold there the next time. "The intellect and will are "In the acquisition of a new habit as in the leaving off of an old one,
spiritual functions; still they are immersed in matter, and to every we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong and decided
movement of theirs, corresponds a movement in the brain, that is, an initiative as possible."
in their material correlative." This is why habits of thought and
habits of willing can be formed. All physical impressions are the The man that is in the habit of doing the right thing from boyhood,
carrying out of the actions of the will and intellect. Our nervous has only good motives, so it is very important for you that you
systems are what they are today, because of the way they have been concentrate assiduously on the habits that reinforce good motives.
exercised. Surround yourself with every aid you can. Don't play with fire by
forming bad habits. Make a new beginning today. Study why you
As we grow older most of us become more and more like automatic have been doing certain things. If they are not for your good, shun
machines. The habits we have formed increase in strength. We them henceforth. Don't give in to a single temptation for every
work in our old characteristic way. Your associates learn to expect time you do, you strengthen the chain of bad habits. Every time
you to do things in a certain way. So you see that your habits make you keep a resolution you break the chain that enslaves you.
a great difference in your life, and as it is just about as easy to form
good habits as it is bad, you should form only the former. No one Third Maxim:
but yourself is responsible for your habits. You are free to form the
habits that you should and if everyone could realize the importance
"Never allow an exception to occur till the new habit is securely "Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise
rooted in your life." Here is the idea, you never want to give in, every day."
until the new habit is fixed else you undo all that has been
accomplished by previous efforts. There are two opposing The more we exercise the will, the better we can control our habits.
inclinations. One wants to be firm, and the other wants to give in. "Every few days do something for no other reason than its
By your will you can become firm, through repetition. Fortify your difficulty, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may
will to be able to cope with any and all opposition. find you not unnerved or untrained to stand the test. Asceticism of
this sort is like the insurance which a man pays on his house and
Fourth Maxim: goods. The tax does him no good at the time, and possibly may
never bring him a return, but if the fire does come, his having paid
"Seize the very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution it will be his salvation from ruin. So with the man who has daily
you make, and on every emotional prompting you may experience insured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic
in the direction of the habits you aspire to gain." volation, and self-denial in unnecessary things. "He will stand like
a tower when everything rocks around him and his softer fellow-
To make a resolve and not to keep it is of little value. So by all mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast."
means keep every resolution you make, for you not only profit by
the resolution, but it furnishes you with an exercise that causes the The young should be made to concentrate on their habits and be
brain cells and physiological correlatives to form the habit of made to realize that if they don't they become walking bundles of
adjusting themselves to carry out resolutions. "A tendency to act, injurious habits. Youth is the plastic state, and should be utilized
becomes effectively engrained in us in proportion to the in laying the foundation for a glorious future.
uninterrupted frequency with which the actions actually occur, and
the brain `grows' to their use. When a resolve or a fine glow of The great value of habit for good and evil cannot be overestimated.
feeling is allowed to evaporate without bearing fruit, it is worse "Habit is the deepest law of human nature." No man is stronger
than a chance lost." than his habits, because his habits either build up his strength or
decrease it.
If you keep your resolutions you form a most valuable habit. If you
break them you form a most dangerous one. So concentrate on Why We Are Creatures of Habits. Habits have often been called a
keeping them, whether important or unimportant, and remember labor-saying invention, because when they are formed they require
it is just as important for this purpose to keep the unimportant, for less of both mental and material strength. The more deeply the
by so doing you are forming the habit. habit becomes ingrained the more automatic it becomes.
Therefore habit is an economizing tendency of our nature, for if it
Fifth Maxim: were not for habit we should have to be more watchful. We walk
across a crowded street; the habit of stopping and looking prevents
us from being hurt. The right kind of habits keeps us from making enemy can be as insidious, so persevering, as unrelenting as an
mistakes and mishaps. It is a well known fact that a chauffeur is unfavorable habit. It never sleeps, it needs no rest.
not able to master his machine safely until he has trained his body
in a habitual way. When an emergency comes he instantly knows "It is like a parasite that grows with the growth of the supporting
what to do. Where safety depends on quickness the operator must body, and, like a parasite, it can best be killed by violent separation
work automatically. Habits mean less risk, less fatigue, and greater and crushing.
accuracy.
When life is stormy and all seems against us, that is when we often
"You do not want to become a slave to habits of a trivial nature. acquire wrong habits, and it is then, that we have to make a
For instance, Wagner required a certain costume before he could gigantic effort to think and speak as we should; and even though
compose corresponding parts of his operas. Schiller could never we may feel the very reverse at that moment the tiniest effort will
write with ease unless there were rotten apples in the drawer of his be backed up by a tremendous Power and will lift us to a realization
desk from which he could now and then obtain an odor which never felt before. It is not in the easy, contented moments of our
seemed to him sweet. Gladstone had different desks for his life that we make our greatest progress, for then it requires, no
different activities, so that when he worked on Homer he never sat special effort to keep in tune. But it is when we are in the midst of
among habitual accompaniments of his legislative labors." trials and misfortunes, when we think we are sinking, being
overwhelmed, then it is important for us to realize that we are
In order to overcome undesirable habits, two things are necessary. linked to a great Power and if we live as we should, there is nothing
You must have trained your will to do what you want it to do, and that can occur in life, which could permanently injure us, nothing
the stronger the will the easier it will be to break a habit. Then you can happen that should disturb us. So always remember you have
must make a resolution to do just the opposite of what the habit is. within you unlimited power, ready to manifest itself in the form
Therefore one habit must replace another. If you have a strong which fills our need at the moment. If, when we have something
will, you can tenaciously and persistently concentrate on removing difficult to solve, we would be silent like the child, we can get the
the bad habit and in a very short time the good habit will gain the inspiration when it comes; we will know how to act, we will find
upper hand. I will bring this chapter to a close by giving Doctor there is no need to hurry or disturb ourselves, that it is always
Oppenheim's instructions for overcoming a habit: wiser to wait for guidance from within, than to act on impulse from
Without.
"If you want to abolish a habit, and its accumulated circumstances
as well, you must grapple with the matter as earnestly as you would LESSON X. BUSINESS RESULTS THROUGH CONCENTRATION
with a physical enemy. You must go into the encounter with all
tenacity of determination, with all fierceness of resolve--yea, even A successful business is not usually the result of chance. Neither is
with a passion for success that may be called vindictive. No human a failure the result of luck. Most failures could be determined in
advance if the founders had been studied. It is not always possible
to start a money-making business at the start. Usually a number of his employees are not turning out the work that they should. It is
changes have to be made. Plans do not work out as their creators then easy to apply the remedy.
thought they would. They may have to be changed a little,
broadened it may be, here and there, and as you broaden your Business success depends on well-concentrated efforts. You must
business you broaden your power to achieve. You gain an intense use every mental force you can master. The more these are used
and sustained desire to make your business a success. the more they increase. Therefore the more you accomplish today
the more force you will have at your disposal with which to solve
When you start a business you may have but a vague notion of the your problems tomorrow.
way you will conduct it. You must fill in the details as you go along.
You must concentrate on these details. As you straighten out one If you are working for someone else today and wish to start in a
after another, others will require attention. In this way you cover business for yourself, think over carefully what you would like to
the field of "the first endeavor" and new opportunities open up for do. Then when you have resolved what you want to do, you will be
you. drawn towards it. There is a law that opens the way to the
fulfillment of your desires. Of course back of your desire you must
When you realize one desire, another comes. But if you do not put forward the necessary effort to carry out your purpose; you
fulfill the first desire, you will not the second. The person that does must use your power to put your desires into force. Once they are
not carry his desires into action is only a dreamer. Desire is a great created and you keep up your determination to have them fulfilled
creative force, if it is pure, intense and sustained. It is our desires you both consciously and unconsciously work toward their
that keep stirring us up to action and they will strengthen and materialization. Set your heart on your purpose, concentrate your
broaden you if you make them materialize. thought upon it, direct your efforts with all your intelligence and in
due time you will realize your ambition.
Every man who achieves success deserves it. When he first started
out he did not understand how to solve the problems that Feel yourself a success, believe you are a success and thus put
afterwards presented themselves, but he did each thing as it came yourself in the attitude that demands recognition and the thought
up in the very best way that he could, and this developed his power current draws to you what you need to make you a success. Don't
of doing bigger things. We become masters of business by learning be afraid of big undertakings. Go at them with grit, and pursue
to do well whatever we attempt. The man that has a thorough methods that you think will accomplish your purpose. You may
knowledge of his business can of course direct it much more easily not at first meet with entire success, but aim so high that if you fall
and skillfully than the man who lacks that knowledge. The skilled a little short you will still have accomplished much.
business director can sit in his private office and still know
accurately what is actually being done. He knows what should be What others have done you can do. You may even do what others
done in any given time and if it is not accomplished he knows that have been unable to do. Always keep a strong desire to succeed in
your mind. Be in love with your aim and work, and make them, as
far as possible, square with the rule of the greatest good to the persons say that business is trying on the nerves, but it is the
greatest number and your life cannot be a failure. unsettling elements of fret and worry and suspense that are nerve-
exhausting and not the business. Executing one's plans may cause
The successful business attitude must be cultivated to make the fatigue, enjoyment comes with rest. If there has not been any
most out of your life, the attitude of expecting great things from unnatural strain, the recuperative powers replace what energy has
both yourself and others. It alone will often cause men to make been lost.
good; to measure up to the best that is in them.
By attending to each day's work properly you develop the capacity
It is not the spasmodic spurts that count on a long journey, but the to do a greater work tomorrow. It is this gradual development that
steady efforts. Spurts fatigue and make it hard for you to continue. makes possible the carrying out of big plans. The man that figures
out doing something each hour of the day gets somewhere. At the
Rely on your own opinion. It should be as good as anyone's else. end of each day you should be a step nearer your aim. Keep the
When once you reach a conclusion abide by it. Let there be no idea in mind, that you mean to go forward, that each day must
doubt, or wavering in your judgment. If you are uncertain about mark an advance and forward you will go. You do not even have to
every decision you make, you will be subject to harassing doubts know the exact direction so long as you are determined to find the
and fears which will render your judgment of little value. The man way. But you must not turn back once you have started.
that decides according to what he thinks right and who learns from
every mistake acquires a well balanced mind that gets the best Even brilliant men's conceptions of the possibilities of their mental
results. He gains the confidence of others. He is known as the forces are so limited and below their real worth that they are far
man that knows what he wants, and not as one that is as more likely to belittle their possibilities than they are to exaggerate
changeable as the weather. The man of today wants to do business them. You don't want to think that an aim is impossible because it
with the man that he can depend upon. Uncertainties in the has never been realized in the past. Every day someone is doing
business world are meeting with more disfavor. Reliable firms something that was never done before. We are pushing ahead
want to do business with men of known qualities, with men of faster. Formerly it took decades to build up a big business, but
firmness, judgment and reliability. today it is only but a matter of years, sometimes of months.
So if you wish to start in business for yourself your greatest asset, Plan each day's activities carefully and you can reach any height
with the single exception of a sound physique, is that of a good you aim at. If each thing you do is done with concise and
reputation. concentrated thought you will be able to turn out an excellent
quality and a large quantity of work. Plan to do so much work
A successful business is not hard to build if we can concentrate all during the day and you will be astonished to see how much more
our mental forces upon it. It is the man that is unsettled because you will do, than on other days, when you had not decided on any
he does not know what he wants that goes to the wall. We hear certain amount. I have demonstrated that the average business
working force could do the same amount of work in six hours that his competitor, who is. What we are actually doing today was
they now do in eight, without using up any more energy. Never carefully thought out and planned by others in the past. All
start to accomplish anything in an indecisive, indefinite, uncertain progressive businesses are conducted this way. That is why the
way. Tackle everything with a positiveness and an earnestness that young business man of today is likely to accomplish more in a few
will concentrate your mind and attract the very best associated years than his father did in all his life. There is no reason why your
thoughts. You will in a short time find that you will have extra time work or business should fag you out. When it does there is
for planning bigger things. something wrong. You are attracting forces and influence that you
should not, because you are not in harmony with what you are
The natural leader always draws to himself, by the law of mental doing. There is nothing so tiring as to try to do the work for which
attraction, ideas in his chosen subject that have ever been we are unfitted, both by temperament and training.
conceived by others. This is of the greatest importance and help.
If you are properly trained you benefit much by others' thoughts,
and, providing you generate from within yourself something of Each one should be engaged in a business that he loves; be should
value, they will benefit from yours. "We are heirs of all the ages," be furthering movements with which he is in sympathy. He will
but we must know how to use our inheritance. then only do his best work and take intense pleasure in his
business. In this way, while constantly growing and developing his
The confident, pushing, hopeful, determined man influences all powers, he is at the same time rendering through his work, genuine
with whom he associates, and inspires the same qualities in them. and devoted service to humanity.
You feel that his is a safe example to follow and he rouses the same
force within you that is pushing him onward and upward. Business success is not the result of chance, but of scientific ideas
and plans carried out by an aggressive and progressive
One seldom makes a success of anything that he goes at in a management. Use your mental forces so that they will grow and
listless, spiritless way. To build up a business you must see it develop. Remember that everything you do is the result of mental
expanding in your mind before it actually takes tangible shape. action, therefore you can completely control your every action.
Every great task that has ever been accomplished has first been Nothing is impossible for you. Don't be afraid to tackle a difficult
merely a vision in the mind of its creator. Detail after detail has proposition. Your success will depend upon the use you make of
had to be worked out in his mind from his first faint idea of the your mind. This is capable of wonderful development. See that
enterprise. Finally a clear idea was formed and then the you make full use of it, and not only develop yourself but your
accomplishment, which was only the material result of the mental associates. Try to broaden the visions of those with whom you
concept, followed. come in contact and you will broaden your own outlook of life.
The up-to-date business man is not content to build only for the Are You Afraid of Responsibilities? In order for the individual soul
present, but is planning ahead. If he does not he will fall behind to develop, you must have responsibilities. You must manifest the
omnipotence of the law of supply. The whole world is your The man without courage unconsciously draws to himself all that is
legitimate sphere of activity. How much of a conqueror are you? contemptible, weakening, demoralizing and destructive. He then
What have you done? Are you afraid of responsibility, or are you blames his luck when he does not secure the things he weakly
ever dodging, flinching, or side stepping it. If you are, you are not desires. We must first have the courage to strongly desire
a Real Man. Your higher self never winces, so be a man and allow something. A desire to be fulfilled must be backed by the strength
the powers of the higher self to manifest and you will find you have of all our mental forces. Such a desire has enough commanding
plenty of strength and you will feel better when you are tackling force to change all unfavorable conditions. The man with courage
difficult propositions. commands, whether be is on the battlefield or in business life.
LESSON XI. CONCENTRATE ON COURAGE What is courage? It is the Will To Do. It takes no more energy to
be courageous than to be cowardly. It is a matter of the right
Courage is the backbone of man. The man with courage has training in the right way. Courage concentrates the mental forces
persistence. He states what he believes and puts it into execution. on the task at hand. It then directs them thoughtfully, steadily,
The courageous man has confidence. He draws to himself all the deliberately, while attracting all the forces of success, toward the
moral qualities and mental forces which go to make up a strong desired end. Cowardice on the other hand, dissipates both our
man. Whereas, the man without courage draws to himself all the mental and moral forces, thereby inviting failure.
qualities of a weak man, vacillation, doubt, hesitancy, and
unsteadiness of purpose. You can therefore see the value of As we are creatures of habits, we should avoid persons that lack
concentration on courage. It is a most vital element of success. courage. They are easy to discover because of their habits of fear in
attacking new problems. The man with courage is never afraid.
The lack of courage creates financial, as well as mental and moral
difficulties. When a new problem comes, instead of looking upon it Start out today with the idea that there is no reason why you
as something to be achieved, the man or woman without courage should not be courageous. If any fear-thoughts come to you cast
looks for reasons why it cannot be done and failure is naturally the them off as you would the deadly viper. Form the habit of never
almost inevitable result. This is a subject well worthy of your thinking of anything unfavorable to yourself or anyone else. In
study. Look upon everything within your power as a possibility dealing with difficulties, new or old, hold ever the thought, "I am
instead of as merely a probability and you will accomplish a great courageous." Whenever a doubt crosses the threshold of your
deal more, because by considering a thing as impossible, you mind, banish it. Remember, you as master of your mind control its
immediately draw to yourself all the elements that contribute to every thought, and here is a good one to often affirm, "I have
failure. Lack of courage destroys your confidence in yourself. It courage because I desire it; because I need it; because I use it and
destroys that forceful, resolute attitude so important to success. because I refuse to become such a weakling as cowardice
produces."
There is no justification for the loss of courage. The evils by which Concentrate on just the opposite of fear, want, poverty, sickness,
you will almost certainly be overwhelmed without it are far greater etc. Never doubt your own ability. You have plenty, if you will just
than those which courage will help you to meet and overcome. use it. A great many men are failures because they doubt their own
Right, then, must be the moralist who says that the only thing to capacity. Instead of building up strong mental forces which would
fear is fear. be of the greatest use to them their fear thoughts tear them down.
Fear paralyzes energy. It keeps us from attracting the forces that
Never let another's opinion affect you; he cannot tell what you are go to make up success. Fear is the worst enemy we have.
able to do; he does not know what you can do with your forces.
The truth is you do not know yourself until you put yourself to the There are few people that really know that they can accomplish
test. Therefore, how can someone else know? Never let anyone much. They desire the full extent of their powers, but alas, it is
else put a valuation on you. only occasionally that you find a man that is aware of the great
possibilities within him. When you believe with all your mind and
Almost all wonderful achievements have been accomplished after it heart and soul that you can do something, you thereby develop the
had been "thoroughly" demonstrated that they were courage to steadily and confidently live up to that belief. You have
impossibilities. Once we understand the law, all things are now gone a long way towards accomplishing it. The chances are
possible. If they were impossibilities we could not conceive them. that there will be obstacles, big and little, in your way, but resolute
courage will overcome them and nothing else will. Strong courage
Just the moment you allow someone to influence you against what eliminates the injurious and opposing forces by summoning their
you think is right, you lose that confidence in yourself that inspires masters, the yet stronger forces that will serve you.
courage and carries with it all the forces which courage creates.
Just the moment you begin to swerve in your plan you begin to Courage is yours for the asking. All you have to do is to believe in
carry out another's thought and not your own. You become the it, claim it and use it. To succeed in business believe that it will be
directed and not the director. You forsake the courage and successful, assert that it is successful, and work like a beaver to
resolution of your own mind, and you therefore lack the very forces make it so. Difficulties soon melt away before the courageous. One
that you need to sustain and carry out your work. Instead of being man of courage can fire with his spirit a whole army of men,
self-reliant you become timid and this invites failure. When you whether it be military or industrial, because courage, like
permit yourself to be influenced from your plan by another, you are cowardice, is contagious.
unable to judge as you should, because you have allowed another's
influence to deprive you of your courage and determination The man of courage overcomes the trials and temptations of life; he
without absorbing any of his in return so you are in much the same commands success; he renders sound judgment; he develops
predicament, as you would be in if you turned over all your worldly personal influence and a forceful character and often becomes the
possessions to another without getting "value received." mentor of the community which he serves.
How to Overcome Depression and Melancholia. Both of the former be blessed. Through wealth we can do things to uplift ourselves
are harmful and make you unhappy. These are states that can be and humanity.
quickly overcome through concentrating more closely on the
higher self, for when you do you cut off the connection with the Wealth is many persons' goal. It therefore stimulates their
harmful force currents. You can also drive away moods by simply endeavor. They long for it in order to dress and live in such a way
choosing and fully concentrating on an agreeable subject. Through as to attract friends. Without friends they would not be so
will power and thought control we can accomplish anything we particular of their surroundings. The fact is the more attractive we
want to do. There is wonderful inherent power within us all, and make ourselves and our surroundings the more inspiring are their
there is never any sufficient cause for fear, except ignorance. influences. It is not conducive to proper thought to be surrounded
by conditions that are uncongenial and unpleasant.
Every evil is but the product of ignorance, and everyone that
possesses the power to think has the power to overcome ignorance So the first step toward acquiring wealth is to surround yourself
and evil. The pain that we suffer from doing evil are but the with helpful influences; to claim for yourself an environment of
lessons of experience, and the object of the pain is to make us culture, place yourself in it and be molded by its influences.
realize our ignorance. When we become depressed It is evidence
that our thought faculties are combining improperly and thereby Most great men of all ages have been comparatively rich. They
attracting the wrong force-currents. have made or inherited money. Without money they could not
have accomplished what they did. The man engaged in physical
All that it is necessary to do is to exercise the will and concentrate drudgery is not likely to have the same high ideals as the man that
upon happy subjects. I will only think of subjects worthy of my can command comparative leisure.
higher self and its powers.
Wealth is usually the fruit of achievement. It is not, however,
LESSON XII. CONCENTRATE ON WEALTH altogether the result of being industrious. Thousands of persons
work hard who never grow wealthy. Others with much less effort
It was never intended that man should be poor. When wealth is acquire wealth. Seeing possibilities is another step toward
obtained under the proper conditions it broadens the life. acquiring wealth. A man may be as industrious as he can possibly
Everything has its value. Everything has a good use and a bad use. be, but if he does not use his mental forces he will be a laborer, to
The forces of mind like wealth can be directed either for good or be directed by the man that uses to good advantage his mental
evil. A little rest will re-create forces. Too much rest degenerates forces.
into laziness, and brainless, dreamy longings.
No one can become wealthy in an ordinary lifetime, by mere
If you acquire wealth unjustly from others, you are misusing your savings from earnings. Many scrimp and economize all their lives;
forces; but if your wealth comes through the right sources you will but by so doing waste all their vitality and energy. For example, I
know a man that used to walk to work. It took him an hour to go needs his time to reflect. He does not do his duties today in the
and an hour to return. He could have taken a car and gone in same way as yesterday, but as the result of deliberate and
twenty minutes. He saved ten cents a day but wasted an hour and concentrated effort, constantly tries to improve his methods.
a half. It was not a very profitable investment unless the time
spent in physical exercise yielded him large returns in the way of The other day I attended a lecture on Prosperity. I knew the
health. lecturer had been practically broke for ten years. I wanted to hear
what he had to say. He spoke very well. He no doubt benefited
The same amount of time spent in concentrated effort to overcome some of his hearers, but he had not profited by his own teachings.
his unfavorable business environment might have firmly planted I introduced myself and asked him if he believed in his maxims.
his feet in the path of prosperity. He said he did. I asked him if they had made him prosperous. He
said not exactly. I asked him why. He answered that he thought he
One of the big mistakes made by many persons of the present was fated not to experience prosperity.
generation is that they associate with those who fail to call out or
develop the best that is in them. When the social side of life is In half an hour I showed that man why poverty had always been his
developed too exclusively, as it often is, and recreation or companion. He had dressed poorly. He held his lectures in poor
entertainment becomes the leading motive of a person's life, he surroundings. By his actions and beliefs he attracted poverty. He
acquires habits of extravagance instead of economy; habits of did not realize that his thoughts and his surroundings exercised an
wasting his resources, physical, mental, moral and spiritual, unfavorable influence. I said: "Thoughts are moving forces; great
instead of conserving them. He is, in consequence, lacking in powers. Thoughts of wealth attract wealth. Therefore, if you
proper motivation, his God-given powers and forces are desire wealth you must attract the forces that will help you to
undeveloped and he inevitably brings poor judgment to bear upon secure it. Your thoughts attract a similar kind of thoughts. If you
all the higher relationships of life, while, as to his financial hold thoughts of poverty you attract poverty. If you make up your
fortunes, he is ever the leaner; often a parasite, and always, if mind you are going to be wealthy, you will instil this thought into
opportunity affords, as heavy a consumer as he is a poor producer. all your mental forces, and you will at the same time use every
external condition to help you."
It seems a part of the tragedy of life that these persons have to be
taught such painful lessons before they can understand the forces Many persons are of the opinion that if you have money it is easy to
and laws that regulate life. Few profit by the mistakes of others. make more money. But this is not necessarily true. Ninety per
They must experience them for themselves and then apply the cent of the men that start in business fail. Money will not enable
knowledge so gained in reconstructing their lives. one to accumulate much more, unless he is trained to seek and use
good opportunities for its investment. If he inherits money the
Any man that has ever amounted to anything has never done a chances are that he will lose it. While, if he has made it, he not
great deal of detail work for long periods at any given time. He
only knows its value, but has developed the power to use it as well making the road you traveled in reaching your position easier for
as to make more if he loses it. those who follow you.
Business success today depends on foresight, good judgment, grit, There is somewhere in every brain the energy that will get you out
firm resolution and settled purpose. But never forget that thought of that rut and put you far up on the mountain of success if you can
is as real a force as electricity. Let your thoughts be such, that you only use the energy.
will send out as good as you receive; if you do not, you are not
enriching others, and therefore deserve not to be enriched. You know that gasoline in the engine of an automobile doesn't
move the car until the spark comes to explode the gasoline.
The man that tries to get all he can from others for nothing
becomes so selfish and mean that he does not even enjoy his So it is with the mind of man. We are not speaking now of men of
acquisitions. We see examples of this every day. What we take great genius, but of average, able citizens.
from others, will in turn, be taken from us. All obligations have to
be met fairly and squarely. We cannot reach perfection until we Each one of them has in his brain the capacity to climb over the
discharge every obligation of our lives. We all realize this, so why word impossible and get into the successful country beyond.
not willingly give a fair exchange for all that we receive?
And hope, self-confidence and the determination to do something
Again I repeat that the first as well as the last step in acquiring supply the spark that makes the energy work.
wealth is to surround yourself with good influences--good thought,
good health, good home and business environment and successful LESSON XIII. YOU CAN CONCENTRATE, BUT WILL YOU?
business associates. Cultivate, by every legitimate means, the
acquaintance of men of big caliber. Bring your thought vibrations All have the ability to concentrate, but will you? You can, but
in regard to business into harmony with theirs. This will make whether you will or not depends on you. It is one thing to be able
your society not only agreeable, but sought after, and, when you to do something, and another thing to do it. There is far more
have formed intimate friendships with clean, reputable men of ability not used than is used. Why do not more men of ability
wealth, entrust to them, for investment, your surplus earnings, make something of themselves? There are comparatively few
however small, until you have developed the initiative and business successful men but many ambitious ones. Why do not more get
acumen to successfully manage your own investments. By this along? Cases may differ, but the fault is usually their own. They
time you will, through such associations, have found your place in have had chances, perhaps better ones than some others that have
life which, if you have rightly concentrated upon and used your made good.
opportunities, will not be among men of small parts. With a
competence secured, you will take pleasure in using a part of it in What would you like to do, that you are not doing? If you think
you should be "getting on" better, why don't you? Study yourself
carefully. Learn your shortcomings. Sometimes only a mere trifle Many men will not begin an undertaking unless they feel sure they
keeps one from branching out and becoming a success. Discover will succeed in it. What a mistake! This would be right, if we were
why you have not been making good--the cause of your failure. sure of what we could and could not do. But who knows? There
Have you been expecting someone to lead you, or to make a way for may be an obstruction there now that might not be there next
you? If you have, concentrate on a new line of thought. week. There may not be an obstruction there now that will be there
next week. The trouble with most persons is that just as soon as
There are two things absolutely necessary for success--energy and they see their way blocked they lose courage. They forget that
the will to succeed. Nothing can take the place of either of these. usually there is a way around the difficulty. It's up to you to find it.
Most of us will not have an easy path to follow so don't expect to If you tackle something with little effort, when the conditions call
find one. The hard knocks develop our courage and moral for a big effort, you will of course not win. Tackle everything with a
stamina. The persons that live in an indolent and slipshod way feeling that you will utilize all the power within you to make it a
never have any. They have never faced conditions and therefore success. This is the kind of concentrated effort that succeeds.
don't know how. The world is no better for their living.
Most people are beaten before they start. They think they are
We must make favorable conditions and not expect them to shape going to encounter obstacles, and they look for them instead of for
themselves. It is not the man that says, "It can't be done," but the means to overcome them. The result is that they increase their
man that goes ahead in spite of adverse advice, and shows that "it obstacles instead of diminishing them. Have you ever undertaken
can be done" that "gets there" today. "The Lord helps those that something that you thought would be hard, but afterwards found it
help themselves," is a true saying. We climb the road to success by to be easy? That is the way a great many times. The things that
overcoming obstacles. Stumbling blocks are but stepping stones look difficult in advance turn out to be easy of conquest when once
for the man that says, "I can and I Will." When we see cripples, the encountered. So start out on your journey with the idea that the
deaf and dumb, the blind and those with other handicaps road is going to be clear for you, and that if it is not you will clear
amounting to something in the world, the able-bodied man should the way. All men that have amounted to anything have cleared
feel ashamed of himself if he does not make good. their way and they did not have the assistance that you will have
today.
There is nothing that can resist the force of perseverance. The way
ahead of all of us is not clear sailing, but all hard passages can be The one great keynote of success is to do whatever you have
bridged, if you just think they can and concentrate on how to do it. decided on. Don't be turned from your path, but resolve that you
But if you think the obstacles are unsurmountable, you will not of are going to accomplish what you set out to do. Don't be frightened
course try, and even if you do, it will be in only a half-hearted way-- at a few rebuffs, for they cannot stop the man that is determined--
a way that accomplishes nothing. the man that knows in his heart that success is only bought by
tremendous resolution, by concentrated and whole-hearted effort.
"He who has a firm will," says Goethe, "molds the world to Select some thought, and see how long you can hold your mind on
himself." it. It is well to have a clock at first and keep track of the time. If
you decide to think about health, you can get a great deal of good
"People do not lack strength," says Victor Hugo; "they lack Will." from your thinking besides developing concentration. Think of
health as being the greatest blessing there is, in the world. Don't
It is not so much skill that wins victories as it is activity and great let any other thought drift in. Just the moment one starts to
determination There is no such thing as failure for the man that obtrude, make it get out.
does his best. No matter what you may be working at, at the
present time, don't let this make you lose courage. The tides are Make it a daily habit of concentrating on this thought for, say, ten
continually changing, and tomorrow or some other day they will minutes. Practice until you can hold it to the exclusion of
turn to your advantage if you are a willing and are an ambitious everything else. You will find it of the greatest value to centralize
worker. There is nothing that develops you and increases your your thoughts on health. Regardless of your present condition, see
courage like work. If it were not for work how monotonous life yourself as you would like to be and be blind to everything else.
would at last become! You will find it hard at first to forget your ailments, if you have any,
but after a short while you can shut out these negative thoughts
So I say to the man that wants to advance, "Don't look upon your and see yourself as you want to be. Each time you concentrate you
present position as your permanent one. Keep your eyes open, and form a more perfect image of health, and, as you come into its
add those qualities to your makeup that will assist you when your realization, you become healthy, strong and wholesome.
opportunity comes. Be ever alert and on the watch for
opportunities. Remember, we attract what we set our minds on. If I want to impress upon your mind that the habit of forming mental
we look for opportunities, we find them. images is of the greatest value. It has always been used by
successful men of all ages, but few realize its full importance.
If you are the man you should be, some one is looking for you to fill
a responsible position. So when he finds you, don't let your Do you know that you are continually acting according to the
attention wander. Give it all to him. Show that you can images you form? If you allow yourself to mould negative images
concentrate your powers, that you have the makeup of a real man. you unconsciously build a negative disposition. You will think of
Show no signs of fear, uncertainty or doubt. The man that is sure poverty, weakness, disease, fear, etc. Just as surely as you think of
of himself is bound to get to the front. No circumstances can these will your objective life express itself in a like way. Just what
prevent him. we think, we will manifest in the external world.
LESSON XIV. THE ART OF CONCENTRATING BY MEANS OF In deep concentration you become linked with the great creative
PRACTICAL EXERCISES spirit of the universe, and the creative energy then flows through
you, vitalizing your creations into form. In deep concentration
your mind becomes attuned with the infinite and registers the object. If you will focus your energies upon a thing to the exclusion
cosmic intelligence and receives its messages. You become so full of everything else, you generate the force that can bring you what
of the cosmic energy that you are literally flooded with divine you want.
power. This is a most desired state. It is then we realize the
advantages of being connected with the supra-consciousness. The When you focus your thought, you increase its strength. The
supra-consciousness registers the higher cosmic vibrations. It is exercises that follow are tedious and monotonous, but useful. If
often referred to as the wireless station, the message recorded you will persist in them you will find they are very valuable, as they
coming from the universal mind. increase your powers of concentration.
There are very few that reach this stage of concentration. Very few Before proceeding with the exercises I will answer a question that
even know that it is possible. They think concentration means just comes to me. This person says after he works all day he is too
limitation to one subject, but this deeper concentration that brings tired to practice any exercise. But this is not true. We will say he
us into harmony with the Infinite is that which produces and comes home all tired out, eats his supper and sits down to rest. If
maintains health. his work has been mental, the thought which has been occupying
his mind returns to him and this prevents him from securing the
When you have once come in contact with your supra- rest he needs.
consciousness you become the controller of your human thoughts.
That which comes to you is higher than human thoughts. It is It is an admitted fact that certain thoughts call into operation a
often spoken of as Cosmic Consciousness. Once it is experienced it certain set of brain cells; the other cells, of course, are not busy at
is never forgotten. Naturally it requires a good deal of training to that time and are rested. Now if you take up something that is just
reach this state, but once you do, it becomes easier each time to do, different from what you have been doing during the day, you will
and in the course of time you can become possessed of power use the cells that have not done anything and give those that have
which was unknown to you before. You are able to direct the had work to do a rest. So you should regulate the evenings that you
expression of almost Infinite Power while in this deeper state of have and call forth an entirely different line of thought so as not to
concentration. use the cells which you have tired out during the day. If you will
center your attention on a new thought, you relieve the old cells
Exercises In Concentration. The rays of the sun, when focused from vibrating with excitement and they get their needed rest. The
upon an object by means of a sun glass, produce a heat many times other cells that have been idle all day want to work, and you will
greater than the scattered rays of the same source of light and heat. find you can enjoy your evenings while securing needed rest.
This is true of attention. Scatter it and you get but ordinary results.
But center it upon one thing and you secure much better results. When once you have learned to master your thoughts, you will be
When you focus your attention upon an object your every action, able to change them just as easily as you change your clothes.
voluntary and involuntary, is in the direction of attaining that
Remember, the real requisite of centering is to be able to shut out world. Whenever you concentrate just believe it is a success. Keep
outside thoughts--anything foreign to the subject. Now, in order to up this feeling and allow nothing to interfere and you will soon find
control your intention first gain control over the body. This must you have become the master of concentration. You will find that
be brought under direct control of the mind; the mind under the this practice will be of wonderful value to you, and that rapidly you
control of the will. Your will is strong enough to do anything you will be learning to accomplish anything that you undertake.
wish, but you must realize that it is. The mind can be greatly
strengthened by being brought under the direct influence of the It will be necessary to first train the body to obey the commands of
will. When the mind is properly strengthened by the impulse of the mind. I want you to gain control of your muscular movements.
the will it becomes a more powerful transmitter of thought, The following exercise is especially good in assisting you to acquire
because it has more force. perfect control of the muscles.
The Best Time to Concentrate Is after reading something that is Exercise 1

inspiring, as you are then mentally and spiritually exalted in the
desired realm. Then is the time you are ready for deep Sit in a comfortable chair and see how still you can keep. This is
concentration. If you are in your room first see that your windows not as easy as it seems. You will have to center your attention on
are up and the air is good. Lie down flat on your bed without a sitting still. Watch and see that you are not making any
pillow. See that every muscle is relaxed. Now breathe slowly, involuntary muscular movements. By a little practice you will find
filling the lungs comfortably full of fresh air; hold this as long as you are able to sit still without a movement of the muscles for
you can without straining yourself; then exhale slowly. Exhale in fifteen minutes. At first I advise sitting in a relaxed position for
an easy, rhythmic way. Breathe this way for five minutes, letting five minutes. After you are able to keep perfectly still, increase the
the Divine Breath flow through you, which will cleanse and time to ten minutes and then to fifteen. This is as long as it is
rejuvenate every cell of brain and body. necessary. But never strain yourself to keep still. You must be
relaxed completely. You will find this habit of relaxing is very
You are then ready to proceed. Now think how quiet and relaxed good.
you are. You can become enthusiastic over your condition. Just
think of yourself as getting ready to receive knowledge that is far Exercise 2
greater than you have ever received before. Now relax and let the
spirit work in and through you and assist you to accomplish what Sit in a chair with your head up and your chin out, shoulders back.
you wish. Raise your right arm until it is on the level with your shoulder,
pointing to your right. Look around, with head only, and fix your
Don't let any doubts or fears enter. Just feel that what you wish is gaze on your fingers, and keep the arm perfectly still for one
going to manifest. Just feel it already has, in reality it has, for just minute. Do the same exercise with left arm. When you are able to
the minute you wish a thing to be done it manifests in the thought keep the arm perfectly steady, increase the time until you are able
to do this five minutes with each arm. Turn the palm of the hand You can quickly stop any of these by merely centering your
downward when it is outstretched, as this is the easiest position. If attention on the thought, "I will not."
you will keep your eyes fixed on the tips of the fingers you will be
able to tell if you are keeping your arm perfectly still. If you are in the habit of letting noises upset you, just exercise
control; when the door slams, or something falls, etc., just think of
Exercise 3 these as exercises in self-control. You will find many exercises like
this in your daily routine.
Fill a small glass full of water, and grasp it by the fingers; put the
arm directly in front of you. Now fix the eyes upon the glass and The purpose of the above exercises is to gain control over the
try to keep the arm so steady that no movement will be noticeable. involuntary muscular movement, making your actions entirely
Do this first for one moment and then increase it to five. Do the voluntary. The following exercises are arranged to bring your
exercise with first one arm and then the other. voluntary muscles under the control of the will, so that your mental
forces may control your muscular movements.
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Watch yourself during the day and see that your muscles do not
become tense or strained. See how easy and relaxed you can keep Move your chair up to a table, placing your hands upon it,
yourself. See how poised you can be at all times. Cultivate a self- clenching the fists, keeping the back of the hand on the table, the
poised manner, instead of a nervous, strained appearance. This thumb doubled over the fingers. Now fix your gaze upon the fist
mental feeling will improve your carriage and demeanor. Stop all for a while, then gradually extend the thumb, keeping your whole
useless gestures and movements of the body. These mean that you attention fixed upon the act, just as if it was a matter of great
have not proper control over your body. After you have acquired importance. Then gradually extend your first finger, then your
this control, notice how "ill-at-ease" people are that have not second and so on until you open the rest. Then reverse the process,
gained this control. I have just been sizing up a salesman that has closing first the last one opened and then the rest, and finally you
just left me. Part of his body kept moving all the time. I just felt will have the fist again in the original position with the thumb
like saying to him, "Do you know how much better appearance you closed over the finger. Do this exercise with the left hand. Keep up
would make if you would just learn to speak with your voice this exercise first with one hand and then the other until you have
instead of trying to express what you say with your whole body?" done it five times with each hand. In a few days you can increase it
Just watch those that interview you and see how they lack poise. to ten times.
Get rid of any habit you have of twitching or jerking any part of The chances are that the above exercises will at first make you
your body. You will find you make many involuntary movements. "tired," but it is important for you to practice these monotonous
exercises so you can train your attention. It also gives you control
over your muscular movement. The attention, of course, must be you will be thankful you have learned to concentrate your closest
kept closely on each movement of the hand; if it is not, you of attention upon the object at hand.
course lose the value of the exercise.
Let no day go by without practicing concentrating on some familiar
Exercise 6 object that is uninteresting. Never choose an interesting object, as
it requires less attention. The less interesting it is the better
Put the right hand on knee, both fingers and thumb closed, except exercise will it be. After a little practice you will find you can center
the first finger, which points out in front of you. Then move the your attention on uninteresting subjects at will.
finger slowly from side to side, keeping the attention fixed upon the
end of the finger. You can make up a variety of exercises like these. The person that can concentrate can gain full control over his body
It is good training to plan out different ones. The main point you and mind and be the master of his inclinations; not their slave.
should keep in mind is that the exercise should be simple and that When you can control yourself you can control others. You can
the attention should be firmly fixed upon the moving part of the develop a Will that will make you a giant compared with the man
body. You will find your attention will not want to be controlled that lacks Will Power. Try out your Will Power in different ways
and will try to drift to something more interesting. This is just until you have it under such control that just as soon as you decide
where these exercises are of value, and you must control your to do a thing you go ahead and do it. Never be satisfied with the "I
attention and see it is held in the right place and does not wander did fairly well" spirit, but put forward your best efforts. Be
away. satisfied with nothing else. When you have gained this you are the
man you were intended to be.
You may think these exercises very simple and of no value, but I
promise you in a short time you will notice that you have a much Exercise 7
better control over your muscular movements, carriage and
demeanor, and you will find that you have greatly improved your Concentration Increases the Sense of Smell. When you take a walk,
power of attention, and can center your thoughts on what you do, or drive in the country, or pass a flower garden, concentrate on the
which of course will be very valuable. odor of flowers and plants. See how many different kinds you can
detect. Then choose one particular kind and try to sense only this.
No matter what you may be doing, imagine that it is your chief You will find that this strongly intensifies the sense of smell. This
object in life. Imagine you are not interested in anything else in the differentiation requires, however, a peculiarly attentive attitude.
world but what you are doing. Do not let your attention get away When sense of smell is being developed, you should not only shut
from the work you are at. Your attention will no doubt be out from the mind every thought but that of odor, but you should
rebellious, but control it and do not let it control you. When once also shut out cognizance of every odor save that upon which your
you conquer the rebellious attention you have achieved a greater mind, for the time, is concentrated.
victory than you can realize at the time. Many times afterwards
You call find plenty of opportunity for exercises for developing the "Every cell in my body thrills with life; every part of my body is
sense of smell. When you are out in the air, be on the alert for the strong and healthy." I have known a number of people to greatly
different odors. You will find the air laden with all kinds, but let improve their health in this way. You become what you picture
your concentration upon the one selected be such that a scent of its yourself to be. If your mind thinks of sickness in connection with
fragrance in after years will vividly recall the circumstances of this self you will be sick. If you imagine yourself in strong, vigorous
exercise. health, the image will be realized. You will be healthy.
The object of these exercises is to develop concentrated attention, Exercise 9

and you will find that you can, through their practice, control your
mind and direct your thoughts just the same as you can your arm. Concentrating on Sleep. What is known as the water method is,
although very simple, very effective in inducing sleep.
Exercise 8
Put a full glass of clear water on a table in your sleeping room. Sit
Concentration on the Within. Lie down and thoroughly relax your in a chair beside the table and gaze into the glass of water and
muscles. Concentrate on the beating of your heart. Do not pay any think how calm it is. Then picture yourself , getting into just as
attention to anything else. Think how this great organ is pumping calm a state. In a short time you will find the nerves becoming
the blood to every part of the body; try to actually picture the blood quiet and you will be able to go to sleep. Sometimes it is good to
leaving the great reservoir and going in one stream right down to picture yourself becoming drowsy to induce sleep, and, again, the
the toes. Picture another going down the arms to the tips of the most persistent insomnia has been overcome by one thinking of
fingers. After a little practice you can actually feel the blood himself as some inanimate object--for instance, a hollow log in the
passing through your system. depths of the cool, quiet forest.
If, at any time, you feel weak in any part of the body, will that an Those who are troubled with insomnia will find these sleep
extra supply of blood shall go there. For instance, if your eyes feel exercises that quiet the nerves very effective. Just keep the idea in
tired, picture the blood coming from the heart, passing up through your mind that there is no difficulty in going to sleep; banish all
the head and out to the eyes. You can wonderfully increase your fear of insomnia. Practice these exercises and you will sleep.
strength by this exercise. Men have been able to gain such control
over the heart that they have actually stopped it from beating for By this time you should have awakened to the possibilities of
five minutes. This, however, is not without danger, and is not to be concentration and have become aware of the important part it
practiced by the novice. plays in your life.
I have found the following a very helpful exercise to take just Exercise 10
before going to bed and on rising in the morning: Say to yourself,
Concentration Will Save Energy and Appearance. Watch yourself mistake, the thought of a mistake is impressed on them and they
and see if you are not in the habit of moving your hands, thumping will be more likely to make mistakes in the future. All lack of self-
something with your fingers or twirling your mustache. Some have control can be conquered if you will but learn to concentrate.
the habit of keeping their feet going, as, for instance, tapping them
on the floor. Practice standing before a mirror and see if you are in Many of you that read this may think you are not guilty of either of
the habit of frowning or causing wrinkles to appear in the forehead. these faults, but if you will carefully watch yourself you will
Watch others and see how they needlessly twist their faces in probably find that you are, and, if so, you will be greatly helped by
talking. Any movement of the face that causes the skin to wrinkle repeating this affirmation each morning:
will eventually cause a permanent wrinkle. As the face is like a
piece of silk, you can make a fold in it a number of times and it will "I am going to try today not to make a useless gesture or to worry
straighten out of itself, but, if you continue to make a fold in it, it over trifles, or become nervous or irritable. I intend to be calm,
will in time be impossible to remove it. and, no difference what may be the circumstances, I will control
myself. Henceforth I resolve to be free from all signs that show
By Concentration You Can Stop the Worry Habit. If you are in the lack of self-control."
habit of worrying over the merest trifles, just concentrate on this a
few minutes and see bow needless it is; if you are also in the habit At night quickly review your actions during the day and see how
of becoming irritable or nervous at the least little thing, check fully you realized your aim. At first you will, of course, have to
yourself instantly when you feel yourself becoming so; start to plead guilty of violation a few times, but keep on, and you will soon
breathe deeply; say, "I will not be so weak; I am master of myself," find that you can live up to your ideal. After you have once gained
and you will quickly overcome your condition. self-control, however, don't relinquish it. For some time it will still
be necessary to repeat the affirmation in the morning and square
Exercise 11 your conduct with it in the evening. Keep up the good work until,
at last, the habit of self-control is so firmly fixed that you could not
By Concentration You Can Control Your Temper. If you are one of break it even though you tried.
those that flare up at the slightest "provocation" and never try to
control yourself, just think this over a minute. Does it do you any I have had many persons tell me that this affirmation and daily
good? Do you gain anything by it? Doesn't it put you out of poise review made a wonderful difference in their lives. You, too, will
for some time? Don't you know that this grows on you and will notice the difference if you live up to these instructions.
eventually make you despised by all that have any dealings with
you? Everyone makes mistakes and, instead of becoming angry at Exercise 12.
their perpetrators, just say to them, "Be more careful next time."
This thought will be impressed on them and they will be more Practice Talking Before a Glass. Make two marks on your mirror
careful. But, if you continually complain about their making a on a level with your eyes, and think of them as two human eyes
looking into yours. Your eyes will probably blink a little at first.
Do not move your head, but stand erect. Concentrate all your The Control of Sensations. Think how you would feel if you were
thoughts on keeping your head perfectly still. Do not let another cool; then how you would feel if you were cold; again, how you
thought come into your mind. Then, still keeping the head, eyes would feel if it were freezing. In this state you would be shivering
and body still, think that you look like a reliable man or woman all over. Now think of just the opposite conditions; construct such
should; like a person that anyone would have confidence in. Do a vivid image of heat that you are able to experience the sensation
not let your appearance be such as to justify the remark, "I don't of heat even in the coldest atmosphere. It is possible to train your
like his appearance. I don't believe he can be trusted." imagination until you do this, and it can then be turned to practical
account in making undesirable conditions bearable.
While standing before the mirror practice deep breathing. See that
there is plenty of fresh air in the room, and that you are literally You can think of many very good exercises like this. For instance,
feasting on it. You will find that, as it permeates every cell, your if you feel yourself getting hungry or thirsty and for any reason you
timidity will disappear. It has been replaced by a sense of peace do not wish to eat, do not think of how hungry or thirsty you are,
and power. but just visualize yourself as finishing a hearty meal. Again, when
you experience pain, do not increase it by thinking about it, but do
The one that stands up like a man and has control over the muscles something to divert your attention, and the pain will seem to
of his face and eyes always commands attention. In his decrease. If you will start practicing along this line systematically
conversation, he can better impress those with whom he comes in you will soon gain a wonderful control over the things that affect
contact. He acquires a feeling of calmness and strength that causes your physical comfort.
opposition to melt away before it.
Exercise 14
Three minutes a day is long enough for the practice of this exercise.
The Eastern Way of Concentrating. Sit in a chair with a high back
Look at the clock before you commence the exercise, and if you in upright position. Press one finger against the right nostril. Now
find you can prolong the exercise for more than five minutes do so. take a long, deep breath, drawing the breath in gently as you count
The next day sit in a chair and, without looking at the picture, ten; then expel the breath through the right nostril as you count
concentrate on it and see if you cannot think of additional details ten. Repeat this exercise with the opposite nostril. This exercise
concerning it. The chances are you will be able to think of many should be done at least twenty times at each sitting.
more. It might be well for you to write down all you thought of the
first day, and then add to the list each new discovery. You will find Exercise 15
that this is a very excellent exercise in concentration.
Controlling Desires. Desire, which is one of the hardest forces to
Exercise 13 control, will furnish you with excellent exercises in concentration.
It seems natural to want to tell others what you know; but, by Exercise 16
learning to control these desires, you can wonderfully strengthen
your powers of concentration. Remember, you have all you can do When You Read. No one can think without first concentrating his
to attend to your own business. Do not waste your time in thinking thoughts on the subject in hand. Every man and woman should
of others or in gossiping about them. train himself to think clearly. An excellent exercise is to read some
short story and then write just an abridged statement. Read an
If, from your own observation, you learn something about another article in a newspaper, and see in how few words you can express
person that is detrimental, keep it to yourself. Your opinion may it. Reading an article to get only the essentials requires the closest
afterwards turn out to be wrong anyway, but whether right or concentration. If you are unable to write out what you read, you
wrong, you have strengthened your will by controlling your desire will know you are weak in concentration. Instead of writing it out
to communicate your views. you can express it orally if you wish. Go to your room and deliver it
as if you were talking to some one. You will find exercises like this
If you hear good news resist the desire to tell it to the first person of the greatest value in developing concentration and learning to
you meet and you will be benefited thereby. It will require the think.
concentration of all your powers of resistance to prohibit the desire
to tell. After you feel that you have complete control over your After you have practiced a number of these simple exercises read a
desires you can then tell your news. But you must be able to book for twenty minutes and then write down what you have read.
suppress the desire to communicate the news until you are fully The chances are that at first you will not remember very many
ready to tell it. Persons that do not possess this power of control details, but with a little practice you will be able to write a very
over desires are apt to tell things that they should not, thereby good account of what you have read. The closer the concentration
often involving both themselves and others in needless trouble. the more accurate the account will be.
If you are in the habit of getting excited when you hear unpleasant It is a good idea when time is limited to read only a short sentence
news, just control yourself and receive it without any exclamation and then try to write it down word for word. When you are able to
of surprise. Say to yourself, "Nothing is going to cause me to lose do this, read two or more sentences and treat similarly. The
my self-control. You will find from experience that this self-control practice will produce very good results if you keep it up until the
will be worth much to you in business. You will be looked upon as habit is fixed.
a cool-headed business man, and this in time becomes a valuable
business asset. Of course, circumstances alter cases. At times it is If you will just utilize your spare time in practicing exercises like
necessary to become enthused. But be ever on the lookout for those suggested you can gain wonderful powers of concentration.
opportunities for the practice of self-control. "He that ruleth his You will find that in order to remember every word in a sentence
spirit is greater than he that ruleth a city." you must keep out every thought but that which you wish to
remember, and this power of inhibition alone will more than
compensate for the trouble of the exercise. Of course, success in all make it successful lies its value. Always try to keep as still as
of the above depends largely upon cultivating, through the closest possible during these exercises.
concentration, the power to image or picture what you read; upon
the power, as one writer expresses it, of letting the mountains of In this way you can gain control over nerves and this quieting effect
which we hear loom before us and the rivers of which we read roll is very good for them.
at our feet.
Exercise 19
Exercise 17
Faith Concentration. A belief in the power to concentrate is of
Concentration Overcomes Bad Habits. If you have a habit that you course very important. I purposely did not put this exercise in the
want to get rid of, shut your eyes and imagine that your real self is beginning where it naturally belongs because I wanted you to know
standing before you. Now try the power of affirmation; say to that you could learn to concentrate. If you have practiced the
yourself, "You are not a weakling; you can stop this habit if you above exercises you have now developed this concentration power
want to. This habit is bad and you want to break it." Just imagine to a considerable extent and therefore you have faith in the power
that you are some one else giving this advice. This is very valuable of concentration, but you can still become a much stronger believer
practice. You, in time, see yourself as others see you. The habit in it.
loses its power over you and you are free.
We will say that you have some desire or wish you want fulfilled, or
If you will just form the mental image of controlling yourself as that you need some special advice. You first clearly picture what is
another person might, you will take a delight in breaking bad wanted and then you concentrate on getting it. Have absolute faith
habits. I have known a number of men to break themselves of that your desires will be realized. Believe that it will according to
drinking in this way. your belief be fulfilled. Never, at this time, attempt to analyze the
belief. You don't care anything about the whys and wherefores.
Exercise 18 You want to gain the thing you desire, and if you concentrate on it
in the right way you will get it.
Watch Concentration. Sit in a chair and place a clock with a second
hand on the table. Follow the second hand with your eyes as it A Caution. Never think you will not succeed, but picture what is
goes around. Keep this up for five minutes, thinking of nothing wanted as already yours, and yours it surely will be.
else but the second hand, This is a very good exercise when you
only have a few minutes to spare, if you are able to keep every other Self-Distrust. Do you ever feel distrust in yourself? If You do, just
thought in the stream of consciousness subordinate to it. As there ask yourself, which self do I mistrust? Then say: my higher self
is little that is particularly interesting about the second hand, it is cannot be affected. Then think of the wonderful powers of the
hard to do this, but in the extra effort of will power required to higher self. There is a way to overcome all difficulties, and it is a
delight for the human soul to do so. Instead of wasting precious The same rule holds good in regard to more important things. For
thought-force by dreading or fearing a disagreeable interview or example, if you are instructed to drop in and see Mr. Smith while
event, instead devote the time and concentrated thought in how to out to luncheon today, you will not forget it, if, at the moment the
make the best of the interview or event and you will find that it will instruction is given, you say to yourself something similar to the
not be as unpleasant as you thought it would be. Most of our following:
troubles are but imaginary, and it is the mental habit of so
dreading them that really acts as a magnet in attracting those that "When I get to the corner of Blank street, on my way to luncheon, I
really do come. Your evil circumstances are created or attracted by shall turn to the right and call on Mr. Smith." In this way the
your own negative, fears and wrong thoughts, and are a means of impression is made, the connection established and the sight of the
teaching you to triumph over all evils, by discovering that which is associated object recalls the errand.
inherent within yourself.
The important thing to do is to deepen the impression at the very
You will find it helpful in overcoming self-distrust, to stop and moment it enters your mind. This is made possible, not only by
think, why you are, concentrating your forces, and by so doing you concentrating the mind upon the idea itself, but by surrounding it
become more closely attached to the higher self, which never with all possible association of ideas, so that each one will reinforce
distrusts. the others.
LESSON XV. CONCENTRATE SO YOU WILL NOT FORGET The mind is governed by laws of association, such as the law that
ideas which enter the mind at the same time emerge at the same
A man forgets because he does not concentrate his mind on his time, one assisting in recalling the others.
purpose, especially at the moment he conceives it. We remember
only that which makes a deep impression, hence we must first The reason why people cannot remember what they want to is that
deepen our impressions by associating in our minds certain ideas they have not concentrated their minds sufficiently on their
that are related to them. purpose at the moment when it was formed.
We will say a wife gives her husband a letter to mail. He does not You can train yourself to remember in this way by the
think about it, but automatically puts it in his pocket and forgets all concentration of the attention on your purpose, in accordance with
about it. When the letter was given to him had he said to himself, the laws of association.
"I will mail this letter. The box is at the next corner and when I
pass it I must drop this letter," it would have enabled him to recall When once you form this habit, the attention is easily centered and
the letter the instant he reached the mail box. the memory easily trained. Then your memory, instead of failing
you at crucial moments, becomes a valuable asset in your every-
day work.
and accomplishes his task. A child instinctively but unconsciously

Exercise in Memory Concentration. Select some picture; put it on knows when he needs help, he must be quiet and concentrate.
a table and then look at it for two minutes. Concentrate your
attention on this picture, observe every detail; then shut your eyes All great people concentrate and owe their success to it. The doctor
and see how much you can recall about it. Think of what the thinks over the symptoms of his patient, waits, listens for the
picture represents; whether it is a good subject; whether it looks inspiration, though quite unconscious, perhaps, of doing so. The
natural. Think of objects in foreground, middle ground, one who diagnoses in this way seldom makes mistakes. An author
background; of details of color and form. Now open your eyes and thinks his plot, holds it in his mind, and then waits, and
hold yourself rigidly to the correction of each and every mistake. illumination comes. If you want to be able to solve difficult
Close eyes again and notice how much more accurate your picture problems you must learn to do the same.
is. Practice until your mental image corresponds in every
particular to the original. LESSON XVI. HOW CONCENTRATION CAN FULFILL YOUR
DESIRE
Nature is a Wonderful Instructor. But there are very few who
realize that when we get in touch with nature we discover "It is a spiritual law that the desire to do necessarily implies the
ourselves. That by listening to her voice, with that curious, inner ability to do."
sense of ours, we learn the oneness of life and wake up to our own
latent powers. You have all read of "Aladdin's Lamp," which accomplished such
wonderful things. This, of course, is only a fairy story, but it
Few realize that the simple act of listening and concentrating is our illustrates the fact that man has within him the power, if he is able
best interior power, for it brings us into close contact with the to use it, to gratify his every wish.
highest, just as our other senses bring us into touch with the
coarser side of human nature. The closer we live to nature the If you are unable to satisfy your deepest longings it is time you
more developed is this sense. "So called" civilization has over learned how to use your God-given powers. You will soon be
developed our other senses at the expense of this one. conscious that you have latent powers within capable when once
developed of revealing to you priceless knowledge and unlimited
Children unconsciously realize the value of concentration--for possibilities of success.
instance: When a Child has a difficult problem to solve, and gets to
some knotty point which he finds himself mentally unable to do-- Man should have plenty of everything and not merely substance to
though he tries his hardest--he will pause and keep quite still, live on as so many have. All natural desires can be realized. It
leaning on his elbow, apparently listening; then you will see, if you would be wrong for the Infinite to create wants that could not be
are watching, sudden illumination come and he goes on happily supplied. Man's very soul is in his power to think, and it, therefore,
is the essence of all created things. Every instinct of man leads to
thought, and in every thought there is great possibility because true powerful that that which at first seems impossible becomes
thought development, when allied to those mysterious powers attainable.
which perhaps transcend it, has been the cause of all the world's
true progress. By this law what you at first see as a dream becomes a reality.
In the silence we become conscious of "that something" which Remember that the first step in concentration is to form a Mental
transcends thought and which uses thought as a medium for Image of what you wish to accomplish. This image becomes a
expression. Many have glimpses of "that something," but few ever thought-seed that attracts thoughts of a similar nature. Around
reach the state where the mind is steady enough to fathom these this thought, when it is once planted in the imagination or creative
depths. Silent, concentrated thought is more potent than spoken region of the mind, you group or build associated thoughts which
words, for speech distracts from the focusing power of the mind by continue to grow as long as your desire is keen enough to compel
drawing more and more attention to the without. close concentration.
Man must learn more and more to depend on himself; to seek Form the habit of thinking of something you wish to accomplish
more for the Infinite within. It is from this source alone that he for five minutes each day. Shut every other thought out of
ever gains the power to solve his practical difficulties. No one consciousness. Be confident that you will succeed; make up your
should give up when there is always the resources of Infinity. The mind that all obstacles that are in your way will be overcome and
cause of failure is that men search in the wrong direction for you can rise above any environment.
success, because they are not conscious of their real powers that
when used are capable of guiding them. You do this by utilizing the natural laws of the thought world which
are all powerful.
The Infinite within is foreign to those persons who go through life
without developing their spiritual powers. But the Infinite helps A great aid in the development of concentration is to write out your
only he who helps himself. There is no such thing as a Special thoughts on that which lies nearest your heart and to continue,
"Providence." Man will not receive help from the Infinite except to little by little, to add to it until you have as nearly as possible
the extent that he believes and hopes and prays for help from this exhausted the subject.
great source.
You will find that each day as you focus your forces on this thought
Concentrate on What You Want and Get It. The weakling is at the center of the stream of consciousness, new plans, ideas and
controlled by conditions. The strong man controls conditions. You methods will flash into your mind. There is a law of attraction that
can be either the conqueror or the conquered. By the law of will help you accomplish your purpose. An advertiser, for instance,
concentration you can achieve your heart's desire. This law is so gets to thinking along a certain line. He has formed his own ideas,
but he wants to know what others think. He starts out to seek
ideas and he soon finds plenty of books, plans, designs, etc., on the environment. Life will then seem very different to you, for you will
subject, although when he started he was not aware of their have found happiness through awakening within yourself the
existence. power to become the master of circumstances instead of their
slave.
The same thing is true in all lines. We can attract those things that
will help us. Very often we seem to receive help in a miraculous To the beginner in this line of thought some of the things stated in
way. It may be slow in coming, but once the silent unseen forces this book may sound strange, even absurd, but, instead of
are put into operation, they will bring results so long as we do our condemning them, give them a trial. You will find they will work
part. They are ever present and ready to aid those who care to use out.
them. By forming a strong mental image of your desire, you plant
the thought-seed which begins working in your interest and, in The inventor has to work out his idea mentally before he produces
time, that desire, if in harmony with your higher nature, will it materially. The architect first sees the mental picture of the
materialize. house he is to plan and from this works out the one we see. Every
object, every enterprise, must first be mentally created.
It may seem that it would be unnecessary to caution you to
concentrate only upon achievement that will be good for you and I know a man that started in business with thirteen cents and not a
work no harm to another, but there are many who forget others dollar's worth of credit. In ten years he has built up a large and
and their rights, in their anxiety to achieve success. All good things profitable business. He attributes his success to two things--belief
are possible for you to have, but only as you bring your forces into that he would succeed and hard work. There were times when it
harmony with that law that requires that we mete out justice to did not look like he could weather the storm. He was being pressed
fellow travelers as we journey along life's road. So first think over by his creditors who considered him bankrupt. They would have
the thing wanted and if it would be good for you to have; say, "I taken fifty cents on the dollar for his notes and considered
want to do this; I am going to work to secure it. The way will be themselves lucky. But by keeping up a bold front he got an
open for me." extension of time when needed. When absolutely necessary for
him to raise a certain sum at a certain time he always did it. When
If you fully grasp mentally the thought of success and hold it in he had heavy bills to meet he would make up his mind that certain
mind each day, you gradually make a pattern or mold which in people that owed him would pay by a certain date and they always
time will materialize. But by all means keep free from doubt and did. Sometimes he would not receive their check until the last mail
fear, the destructive forces. Never allow these to become of the day of the extension, and I have known him to send out a
associated with your thoughts. check with the prospect of receiving a check from one of his
customers the following day. He would have no reason other than
At last you will create the desired conditions and receive help in his belief in the power of affecting the mind of another by
many unlooked-for ways that will lift you out of the undesired
concentration of thought for expecting that check, but rarely has he physical life. Your future depends upon the ideals you are forming
been disappointed. now. Your past ideals are determining your present. Therefore, if
you want a bright future, you must begin to prepare for it today.
Just put forth the necessary concentrated effort and you will be
wonderfully helped from sources unknown to you. If persons could only realize that they can only injure themselves,
that when they are apparently injuring others they are really
Remember the mystical words of Jesus, the Master: "Whatsoever injuring themselves, what a different world this would be!
thing ye desire when ye pray, pray as if ye had already received and
ye shall have." We say a man is as changeable as the weather. What is meant is
his ideals change. Every time you change your ideal you think
LESSON XVII. IDEALS DEVELOPED BY CONCENTRATION differently. You become like a rudderless boat on an ocean.
Therefore realize the importance of holding to your ideal until it
Through our paltry stir and strife, Glows the wished Ideal, And becomes a reality.
longing molds in clay, what life Carves in the marble real.--Lowell.
You get up in the morning determined that nothing will make you
We often hear people spoken of as idealists. The fact is we are all lose your temper. This is your ideal of a person of real strength and
idealists to a certain extent, and upon the ideals we picture poise. Something takes place that upsets you completely and you
depends our ultimate success. You must have the mental image if lose your temper. For the time being you forget your ideal. If you
you are to produce the material thing. Everything is first created in had just thought a second of what a well-poised person implies you
the mind. When you control your thoughts you become a creator. would not have become angry. You lose your poise when you
You receive divine ideas and shape them to your individual needs. forget your ideal. Each time we allow our ideals to be shattered we
All things of this world are to you just what you think they are. also weaken our will-power. Holding to your ideals develops will-
Your happiness and success depend upon your ideals. power. Don't forget this.
You are responsible for every condition you go through, either Why do so many men fail? Because they don't hold to their ideal
consciously or unconsciously. The next step you take determines until it becomes a mental habit. When they concentrate on it to the
the succeeding step. Remember this; it is a valuable lesson. By exclusion of all other things it becomes a reality.
concentrating on each step as you go along, you can save a lot of
waste steps and will be able to choose a straight path instead of a "I am that which I think myself to be."
roundabout road.
Ideals are reflected to us from the unseen spirit. The laws of
Concentrate Upon Your Ideals and They Will Become Material matter and spirit are not the same. One can be broken, but not the
Actualities. Through concentration we work out our ideals in other. To the extent that ideals are kept is your future assured.
It was never intended that man should suffer. He has brought it Think hard about the fact that men who have got what you envy got
upon himself by disobeying the laws of nature. He knows them so it by working for it.
cannot plead ignorance. Why does he break them? Because he
does not pay attention to those ideals flashed to him from the Don't pity yourself, criticise yourself.
Infinite Spirit.
You know that the only thing in the world that you have got to
Life is but one continuous unfoldment, and you can be happy every count upon is yourself.
step of the way or miserable, as you please; it all depends upon
how we entertain those silent whisperings that come from we know LESSON XVIII. MENTAL CONTROL THROUGH CREATION
not where. We cannot hear them with mortal ear, but from the
silence they come as if they were dreams, not to you or me alone, I attended a banquet of inventors recently. Each inventor gave a
but to everyone. In this way the grandest thoughts come to us, to short talk on something he thought would be accomplished in the
use or abuse. So search not in treasured volumes for noble future. Many very much needed things were spoken of. One
thoughts, but within, and bright and glowing vision will come to be inventor spoke of the possibilities of wireless telephone. Distance,
realized now and hereafter. he said, would shortly be annihilated. He thought we would soon
be able to talk to the man in the submarine forty fathoms below the
You must give some hours to concentrated, consistent, persistent surface and a thousand miles away. When he got through he asked
thought. You must study yourself and your weaknesses. if there were any that doubted what he said. No one spoke up.
This was not a case of tactful politeness, as inventors like to argue,
No man gets over a fence by wishing himself on the other side. He but a case where no one present really doubted that the inventor's
must climb. vision would, in the future, materialize.
No man gets out of the rut of dull, tiresome, monotonous life by These shrewd men, some real geniuses, all thought we would in
merely wishing himself out of the rut. He must climb. time be able to talk to those a thousand miles away without media.
Now, if we can make an instrument so wonderful that we can send
If you are standing still, or going backward, there is something wireless messages a thousand miles, is there any reason why we
wrong. You are the man to find out what is wrong. should not through mental control transmit messages from one
person to another? The wireless message should not be as easy to
Don't think that you are neglected, or not understood, or not send as the projected thought.
appreciated.
The day will come when all business will employ highly developed
Such thoughts are the thoughts of failure. persons to send out influences. These influences will be so
dominating that employes will be partly controlled by them and so But we should not always claim success for ourselves only. If you
you will profit more and more by your mental powers and depend are anxious that some friend or relative should succeed, think of
on them to draw to you all forces of a helpful nature. You will be this person as becoming successful. Picture him in the position
constantly sending out suggestions to your employes and friends. you would like to see him in. If he has a weakness, desire and
They will receive these unconsciously, but in case yours is the command that it be strengthened; think of his shortcomings which
stronger personality they will carry them out the same as if you had belong to his negative nature as being replaced by positive
spoken them. qualities. Take a certain part of the day to send him thoughts of an
up-building nature. You can in this way arouse his mental powers
This is being done even today. A finely organized company secures into activity, and once aroused, they will assert themselves and
the combined effort of all its men. They may be each doing a claim their own.
different kind of work, but all work to bring about the very best
results. The whole atmosphere is impregnated with a high We can accomplish a great deal more than many of us are ready to
standard of workmanship. Everyone feels he must do his best. He believe by sending to another our direct, positive and controlling
could not be in such surroundings and be satisfied to do anything suggestions of leadership, but whether a man is a success or not is
but his best work. greatly determined by the way he acts on the suggestions he
receives.
A business will succeed only to the extent that the efforts of all are
co-ordinated towards one result. At least one person is needed to We either advance or decline. We never stand still. Every time we
direct all toward the desired end. The person at the head does not accomplish something it gives us ability to do greater things. The
have to exactly outline to the others what steps to take, but he must bigger the attempt undertaken, the greater the things
possess the mental power of control over others. accomplished in the future. As a business grows, the head of the
business also has to grow. He must advance and be ever the
An up-to-date business letter is not written in a casual, guiding influence. By his power to control, he inspires confidence
commonplace way today. The writer tries to convey something he in those associated with him. Often employes are superior to their
thinks the receiver will be interested to know. In this way he employers in some qualities, and, if they had studied, instead of
awakens a responsive spirit. Sometimes just the addition of a word neglected their development, they could have been employers of
or two will change a letter of the matter-of-fact style to one that more commanding influence than those whom they serve.
compels a response. It is not always what is actually in a letter, but
the spirit which it breathes that brings results. That intangible Through your mental power you can generate in another
something that defies analysis is the projected thought of the enthusiasm and the spirit of success, which somehow furnishes an
master that brings back the harvest that it claims. impetus to do something worth while.
In concentrated mental control, there is a latent power more end. Instead of each person being a separate unit, each one is like
potent than physical force. The person becomes aware that the a spoke in a big wheel. Each member carries his own load, and he
attitude of the mind has a power of controlling, directing and would not think of shirking. Anyone working in such an
governing other forces. He has been placed in an attitude capable atmosphere could not help turning out his best work.
of acquiring that which he desires.
All great leaders must be able to inspire this co-operative spirit.
All of us no matter how strong we are, are affected by the mental They first secure assistance through their mental control. They
forces of our environment. There is no one that can remain neutral then make their assistants realize the value of mental control.
to influences. The mind cannot be freed from the forces of a place. Soon there is a close bond between them; they are working toward
If the environment of your place of business is not helpful, it will be a single purpose. They profit by their combined effort. The result
harmful. That is why a change of position will often do a person a is that they accomplish much.
great deal of good.
If your business is conducted in the right spirit, you can instill your
No person was ever intended to live alone. If you are shut up with thoughts and your ideas into your employes. Your methods and
only your own thoughts you suffer from mental starvation. The ideas become theirs. They don't know it, but your mental forces
mind becomes narrow; the mental powers weaken. Living alone are shaping their work. They are just as certain to produce results
often causes some of the milder forms of insanity. If children do as any physical force in nature.
not play with those their own age, but associate with only older
people, they will take on the actions of the older people. The same The up-to-date business man of the future is going to take pains to
is true of older persons if they associate with people younger than get his employes to think and reason better. He will not want them
they are. They take on the spirit of youth. If you wish to retain to become depressed or discouraged. There is time that instead of
your youth you need the influences of youth. Like attracts like all being wasted he will endeavor to have them use in concentrated
over the world. effort that will be profitable to both employer and employed.
There must be more of the spirit of justice enter into the business
The thought element plays a great part in our lives. Every business of the future.
must not only command physical effort but it must also command
thought effort. There must be co-ordination of thought. All There is a firm I know that will not hire an employe until he has
employers should aim to secure employes that think along similar filled out an application blank. No doubt those that fill it out think
lines. They will work in fuller sympathy with each other. They will it is foolishness, but it is not. A capable manager can look over this
better understand each other. This enables them to help each application blank and pretty nearly tell if this person will fit into
other, which would be utterly impossible if they were not in his management. The main thing he wants to know is the
sympathy with each other. It is this that goes to make up a perfect applicant's capacity for efficient co-operative effort. He wants
organization, which directs and influences them toward the one persons that have faith in themselves. He wants them to realize
that when they talk of misfortunes and become blue they are likely We are surrounded by many forces of which we know but little at
to communicate the same depressing influence to others. The up- present. Our knowledge of these is to be wonderfully increased.
to-date manager wants to guard against hiring employes who will Each year we learn more about these psychic forces which are full
obstruct his success. of possibilities of which we are not even dimly conscious. We must
believe in mental control, learn more about it, and use it, if we
You must realize that every moment spent in thinking of your want to command these higher powers and forces which will
difficulties of the past, every moment spent in bad company is unquestionably direct the lives of countless future generations.
attracting to you all that is bad; is attracting influences that must
be shaken off before you can advance. LESSON XIX. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT
Many firms prefer to hire employes that never worked before so New Method. You will find in this chapter a most effective and
that they have nothing to unlearn. They are then not trained, but most practical method of developing the will. You can develop a
have no bad business habits to overcome. They are more easily strong one if you want to. You can make your Will a dynamo to
guided and grasp the new methods more effectively because they draw to you untold power. Exercises are given which will, if
are not contrary to what they have already learned. They are at practiced, strengthen your will, just as you would strengthen your
once started on the right road, and as they co-operate readily they muscles by athletic exercises.
receive the mental support of the management in learning the
methods that have been perfected. This inspires confidence in In starting to do anything, we must first commence with
themselves and they soon become efficient and, finally, skilled elementary principles. Simple exercises will be given. It is
workers. impossible to estimate the ultimate good to be derived from the
mental cultivation that comes through these attempts at
Most big business firms today employ efficiency experts. Each day concentration. Even the simple exercises are not to be thought
or week they are in a different department. They earn their money useless. "In no respect," writes Doctor Oppenheim, "can a man
because they familiarize persons with very little business show a finer quality of will-power than in his own private, intimate
experience with plans that has taken the "expert" years of training life." We are all subjected to certain temptations. The Will decides
and much money to perfect. whether we will be just, or unjust; pure of thought; charitable in
opinion; forbearing in overlooking other's shortcomings; whether
The attitude we take has a great deal more to do with our success we live up to our highest standard. Since these are all controlled by
than most of us realize. We must be able to generate those forces the Will, we should find time for plenty of exercises for training of
that are helpful. There is a wonderful power in the thought rightly the will in our daily life.
controlled and projected and we must through concentration
develop this power to the fullest possible extent.
You, of course, realize that your will should be trained. You must Notes. It may be a little harder for you to concentrate on the door-
also realize that to do this requires effort that you alone can knob as perhaps you had a very busy day and your mind kept
command. No one can call it forth for you. trying to revert to what you had been doing during the day. Keep
on trying and you will finally succeed in banishing all foreign
To be successful in these exercises you must practice them in a thoughts. Then you should feel a desire to gain still more control.
spirit of seriousness and earnestness. I can show you how to train There is a feeling of power that comes over you when you are able
your will, but your success depends upon your mastery and to carry out your will. This exercise will make you feel bigger and it
application of these methods. awakens a sense of nobility and manliness. You will say, "I find
that I can actually do what I want to and can drive foreign thoughts
New Methods of Will-Training. Select a quiet room where you will out. The exercise, I can now see, is valuable."
not be interrupted; have a watch to determine the time, and a note-
book in which to enter observations. Start each exercise with date 10 P. M. 4th Day.
and time of day.
Notes. "I found that I could look at the door-knob and concentrate
Exercise 1 my attention on it at once. Have overcome the tendency to move
my legs. No other thoughts try to enter as I have established the
Time decided on. Select some time of the day when most fact that I can do what I want to do and do not have to be directed.
convenient. Sit in a chair and look at the door-knob for ten I feel that I am gaining in mental strength, I can now see the
minutes. Then write down what you experienced. At first it will wonderful value of being the master of my own will-force. I know
seem strange and unnatural. You will find it hard to hold one now if I make a resolution I will keep it. I have more self-
position for ten minutes. But keep as still as you can. The time will confidence and can feel my self-control increasing.
seem long for it will probably be the first time you ever sat and did
nothing for ten minutes. You will find your thoughts wandering 10 P. M. 5th Day.
from the door-knob, and you will wonder what there can be in this
exercise. Repeat this exercise for six days. Notes. "Each day I seem to increase the intensity of my
concentration. I feel that I can center my attention on anything I
10 P. M. 2nd Day. wish.
Notes. You should be able to sit quieter, and the time should pass 10 P. M. 6th Day.
more quickly. You will probably feel a little stronger because of
gaining a better control of your will. It will brace you up, as you Notes. "I can instantly center my whole attention on the door-
have kept your resolution. 10 P. M. 3rd Day. knob. Feel that I have thoroughly mastered this exercise and that I
am ready for another."
2nd Day.
You have practiced this exercise enough, but before you start
another I want you to write a summary of just how successful you Notes. You start laying the cards down slowly. You will find that
were in controlling the flitting impulses of the mind and will. You by practice you can lay them down much faster. But you want to
will find this an excellent practice. There is nothing more lay them down slowly and therefore you have to watch yourself.
beneficial to the mind than to pay close attention to its own The slow, steady movement is wearisome. You have to conquer the
wonderful, subtle activities. desire of wanting to hurry up. Soon you will find that you can go
slowly or fast at will.
Exercise 2
3rd Day.
Secure a package of playing cards. Select some time to do the
exercise. Each day at the appointed time, take the pack in one Notes. You still find it hard to go slowly. Your will urges you to go
hand and then start laying them down on top of each other just as faster. This is especially true if you are impulsive, as the impulsive
slowly as you can, with an even motion. Try to get them as even as character finds it very difficult to do anything slowly and
possible. Each card laid down should completely cover the under deliberately. It goes against the "grain." This exercise still is
one. Do this exercise for six days. tiresome. But when you do it, it braces you up mentally. You are
accomplishing something you do not like to do. It teaches you how
1st Day. to concentrate on disagreeable tasks. Writing these notes down
you will find very helpful.
Notes. Task will seem tedious and tiresome. Requires the closest
concentration to make each card completely cover the preceding 4th Day.
one. You will probably want to lay them down faster. It requires
patience to lay them down so slowly, but benefit is lost if not so Notes. I find that I am beginning to place the cards in a
placed. You will find that at first your motions will be jerky and mathematical way. I find one card is not completely covering
impetuous. It will require a little practice before you gain an easy another. I am getting a little careless and must be more careful. I
control over your hands and arms. You probably have never tried command my will to concentrate more. It does not seem so hard to
to do anything in such a calm way. It will require the closest bring it under control.
attention of your will. But you will find that you are acquiring a
calmness you never had before. You are gradually acquiring new 5th Day.
powers. You recognize how impulsive and impetuous you have
been, and how, by using your will, you can control your Notes. I find that I am overcoming my jerky movements, that I can
temperament. lay the cards down slowly and steadily. I feel that I am rapidly
gaining more poise. I am getting better control over my will each
day, and my will completely controls my movements. I begin to but some of these will fit your case. Be careful to study your
look on my will as a great governing power. I would not think of experiences carefully and make as true a report as you can.
parting with the knowledge of will I have gained. I find it is a good Describe your feelings just as they seem to you. Allow your fancies
exercise and know it will help me to accomplish my tasks. to color your report and it will be worthless. You have pictured
conditions as you see them. In a few months, if you again try the
6th Day. same exercises, you will find your report very much better. By
these introspections, we learn to know ourselves better and with
Notes. I begin to feel the wonderful possibilities of the will. It this knowledge can wonderfully increase our efficiency. As you
gives me strength to think of the power of will. I am able to do so become used to writing out your report, it will be more accurate.
much more and better work now, that I realize that I can control You thus learn how to govern your impulses, activities and
my will action. Whatever my task, my will is concentrated on it. I weaknesses.
am to keep my will centered there until the task is finished. The
more closely and definitely I determine what I shall do, the more Each person should try to plan exercises that will best fit his needs.
easily the will carries it out. Determination imparts compelling If not convenient for you to practice exercises every day, take them
force to the will. It exerts itself more. The will and the end act and twice or three times a week. But carry out any plan you decide to
react on each other. try. If you cannot devote ten minutes a day to the experiments
start with five minutes and gradually increase the time. The
7th Day. exercises given are only intended for examples.
Notes. Now try to do everything you do today faster. Don't hurry Will Training Without Exercise. There are many people that do not
or become nervous. Just try to do everything faster, but in a steady want to take the time to practice exercises, so the following
manner. instructions for training the will are given to them.
You will find that the exercises you have practiced in retardation By willing and realizing, the will grows. Therefore the more you
have steadied your nerves, and thereby made it possible to increase will, the more it grows, and builds up power. No matter whether
your speed. The will is under your command. Make it carry out your task is big or small, make it a rule to accomplish it in order to
resolutions rapidly. This is how you build up your self-control and fortify your will. Form the habit of focusing your will in all its
your self-command. It is then that the human machine acts as its strength upon the subject to be achieved. You form in this way the
author dictates. habit of getting a thing done, of carrying out some plan. You
acquire the feeling of being able to accomplish that which lies
You certainly should now be able to judge of the great benefit that before you, no matter what it is. This gives you confidence and a
comes from writing out your introspections each day. Of course sense of power that you get in no other way. You know when you
you will not have the exact experiences given in these examples, make a resolution that you will keep it. You do not tackle new
tasks in a half-hearted way, but with a bold, brave spirit. We know Ability is very plentiful, but organizing initiative and creative
that the will is able to carry us over big obstacles. Knowing this power are not plentiful. It is easy to get employes, but to get
despair never claims us for a victim. We have wills and are going someone to train them is harder. Their abilities must be directed
to use them with more and more intensity, thus giving us the to the work they can do. They must be shown how, while at this
power to make our resolutions stronger, our actions freer and our work, to conserve their energy and they must be taught to work in
lives finer and better. harmony with others, for most business concerns are dominated by
a single personality.
The education of the will should not be left to chance. It is only
definite tasks that will render it energetic, ready, persevering and Concentrating on Driving Force Within. We are all conscious, at
consistent. The only way it can be done is by self-study and self- times, that we have somewhere within us an active driving force
discipline. The cost is effort, time and patience, but the returns are that is ever trying to push us onward to better deeds. It is that
valuable. There are no magical processes leading to will "force" that makes us feel determined at times to do something
development, but the development of your will works wonders for worth while. It is not thought, emotion or feeling. This driving
you because it gives you self-mastery, personal power and energy force is something distinct from thought or emotion. It is a quality
of character. of the soul and therefore it has a consciousness all its own. It is the
"I will do" of the will. It is the force that makes the will
Concentration of the Will to Win. The adaptability of persons to concentrate. Many have felt this force working within them,
their business environment is more a matter of determination than driving them on to accomplish their tasks. All great men and
anything else. In this age we hear a good deal of talk about a man's women become conscious that this supreme and powerful force is
aptitudes. Some of his aptitudes, some of his powers, may be their ally in carrying out great resolutions.
developed to a wonderful extent, but he is really an unknown
quality until all his latent powers are developed to their highest This driving force is within all, but until you reach a certain stage
possible extent. He may be a failure in one line and a big success in you do not become aware of it. It is most useful to the worthy. It
another. There are many successful men, that did not succeed well springs up naturally without any thought of training. It comes
at what they first undertook, but they profited by their efforts in unprovoked and leaves unnoticed. Just what this force is we do
different directions, and this fitted them for higher things, whereas not know, but we do know that it is what intensifies the will in
had they refused to adjust themselves to their environment, the demanding just and harmonious action.
tide of progress would have swept them into oblivion.
The ordinary human being, merely as merchandise, if he could be
My one aim in all my works is to try and arouse in the individual sold as a slave, would be worth ten thousand dollars. If somebody
the effort and determination to develop his full capacities, his gave you a five thousand dollar automobile you would take very
highest possibilities. One thing I want you to realize at the start, good care of it. You wouldn't put sand in the carburetor, or mix
that it is not so much ability, as it is the will to do that counts.
water with the gasoline, or drive it furiously over rough roads, or be a failure, while those that develop and use it will make the most
leave it out to freeze at night. of life's opportunities,
Are you quite sure that you take care of your own body, your own I have tried to make these lessons practical and I am sure that
health, your only real property, as well as you would take care of a many will find them so. Of course the mere reading of them will
five thousand dollar automobile if it were given to you? not do you a great deal of good, but, if the exercises are practiced
and worked out and applied to your own individual case, you
The man who mixes whiskey with his blood is more foolish than a should be able to acquire the habit of concentration in such
man would be if he mixed water with gasoline in his car. measure as to greatly improve your work and increase your
happiness.
You can get another car; you cannot get another body.
But remember the best instruction can only help you to the extent
The man who misses sleep lives irregularly--bolts his food so that to which you put it into practice. I have found it an excellent idea
his blood supply is imperfect. That is a foolish man treating to read a book through first, and then re-read it, and when you
himself as he would not treat any other valuable piece of property. come to an idea that appeals to you, stop and think about it, then if
applicable to you, repeat it over and over, that you will be
Do you try to talk with men and women who know more than you impressed by it. In this way you can form the habit of picking out
do, and do you LISTEN rather than try to tell them what you all the good things you read and these will have a wonderful
know? influence on your character.
There are a hundred thousand men of fifty, and men of sixty, In this closing chapter, I want to impress you to concentrate on
running along in the old rut, any one of whom could get out of it what you do, instead of performing most of your work
and be counted among the successful men if only the spark could unconsciously or automatically, until you have formed habits that
be found to explode the energy within them now going to waste. give you the mastery of your work and your life powers and forces.
Each man must study and solve his own problem. Very often the hardest part of work is thinking about it. When you
get right into it, it does not seem so disagreeable. This is the
LESSON XX. CONCENTRATION REVIEWED experience of many when they first commence to learn how to
concentrate. So never think it a difficult task, but undertake it with
In bringing this book to a close, I again want to impress you with the "I Will Spirit" and you will find that its acquirement will be as
the inestimable value of concentration, because those that lack this easy as its application will be useful.
great power or, rather that fail to develop it, will generally suffer
from poverty and unhappiness and their life's work will most often
Read the life of any great man, and you will generally find that the When you act as if your will is strong you say, "I can." When you
dominant quality that made him successful was the ability to act as if it were weak you say, "I can't." It requires the same
concentrate. Study those that have been failures and you will often amount of effort, in each case.
find that lack of concentration was the cause.
Some men get in the habit of thinking "I can't" and they fail.
"One thing at a time, and that done will Others think "I can" and succeed. So remember, it is for you to
decide whether you will join the army of "I can't" or "I can."
Is a good rule as I can tell."
The big mistake with so many is that they don't realize that when
All men are not born with equal powers, but it is the way they are they say "I can't," they really say, "I won't try." You can not tell
used that counts. "Opportunity knocks at every man's door." what you can do until you try. "Can't" means you will not try.
Those that are successful hear the knock and grasp the chance. Never say you cannot concentrate, for, when you do, you are really
The failures believe that luck and circumstances are against them. saying that you refuse to try.
They always blame someone else instead of themselves for their
lack of success. We get what is coming to us, nothing more or less. Whenever you feel like saying, "I can't," say instead, "I possess all
Anything within the universe is within your grasp. Just use your will and I can use as much as I wish." You only use as much as you
latent powers and it is yours. You are aided by both visible and have trained yourself to use.
invisible forces when you concentrate on either "to do" or "to be."
An Experiment to Try. Before going to bed tonight, repeat, "I am
Everyone is capable of some concentration, for without it you going to choose my own thoughts, and to hold them as long as I
would be unable to say or do anything. People differ in the power choose. I am going to shut out all thoughts that weaken or
to concentrate because some are unable to Will to hold the thought interfere; that make me timid. My Will is as strong as anyone's
in mind for the required time. The amount of determination used else. While going to work the next morning, repeat this over. Keep
determines who has the strongest will. No one's is stronger than this up for a month and you will find you will have a better opinion
yours. Think of this whenever you go against a strong opponent. of yourself. These are the factors that make you a success. Hold
fast to them always.
Never say "I can't concentrate today." You can do it just the
minute you say "I will." You can keep your thoughts from straying, Concentration is nothing but willing to do a certain thing. All
just the same as you can control your arms. When once you realize foreign thoughts can be kept out by willing that they stay out. You
this fact, you can train the will to concentrate on anything you cannot realize your possibilities until you commence to direct your
wish. If it wanders, it is your fault. You are not utilizing your will. mind. You then do consciously what you have before done
But, don't blame it on your will and say it is weak. The will is just unconsciously. In this way you note mistakes, overcome bad habits
the same whether you act as if it were weak or as if it were strong. and perfect your conduct.
articles and recall the thread of the argument. Associate yourself

You have at times been in a position that required courage and you with people who are steady, patient and tireless in their thought,
were surprised at the amount you showed. Now, when once you action and work. See how long you can sit still and think on one
arouse yourself, you have this courage all the time and it is not subject without interruption.
necessary to have a special occasion reveal it to you. My object in
so strongly impressing this on your mind is to make you aware that Concentrating on the Higher Self. Father Time keeps going on and
the same courage, the same determination that you show at certain on. Every day he rolls around means one less day for you on this
exceptionable times you have at your command at all times. It is a planet. Most of us only try to master the external conditions of this
part of your vast resources. Use it often and well, in working out world. We think our success and happiness depends on us doing
the highest destiny of which you are capable. so. These are of course important and I don't want you to think
they are not, but I want you to realize that when death comes, only
Final Concentration Instruction. You now realize that, in order to those inherent and acquired qualities and conditions within the
make your life worthy, useful and happy, you must concentrate. A mentality--your character, conduct and soul growth--will go with
number of exercises and all the needed instruction has been given. you. If these are what they should be, you need not be afraid of not
It now remains for you to form the highest ideal that you can in the being successful and happy, for with these qualities you can mold
present and live up to that ideal, and try to raise it. Don't waste external materials and conditions.
your time in foolish reading. Select something that is inspiring,
that you may become enrapport with those that think thoughts that Study yourself. Find Your Strong Points And Make Them Stronger
are worth while. Their enthusiasm will inspire and enlighten you. As Well As Yo Weak Ones And Strengthen Them. Study yourself
Read slowly and concentrate on what you are reading. Let your carefully and you will see yourself as you really are.
spirit and the spirit of the author commune, and you will then
sense what is between the lines--those great things which words The secret of accomplishment is concentration, or the art of
cannot express. turning all your power upon just one point at a time.
Pay constant attention to one and one thing only for a given time If you have studied yourself carefully you should have a good line
and you will soon be able to concentrate. Hang on to that thought on yourself, and should be able to make the proper interior re-
ceaselessly until you have attained your object. When you work, let adjustments. Remember first, last, and always, Right thinking and
your mind dwell steadily on your task. Think before you speak and right Living necessarily results in happiness, and it is therefore
direct your conversation to the subject under discussion. Do not within your power to obtain happiness. Anyone that is not happy
ramble. Talk slowly, steadily and connectedly. Never form the does not claim their birthright.
hurry habit, but be deliberate in all you do. Assume static attitudes
without moving a finger or an eyelid, or any part of your body. Keep in mind that some day you are going to leave this world and
Read books that treat of but one continuous subject. Read long think of what you will take with you. This will assist you to
concentrate on the higher forces. Now start from this minute, to value the external furnishings. You will then not surrender your
act according to the advice of the higher self in everything you do. dignity or self respect, when others ignorantly make a display of
If you do, its ever harmonious forces will necessarily insure to you material things to show off. Only the person that realizes that he is
a successful fulfilment of all your life purposes. Whenever you feel a permanent Being knows what the true self is.
tempted to disobey your higher promptings, hold the thought
"My-higher-self-insures-to-me-the-happiness-of-doing-that-which
- best-answers-my-true-relations-to-all-others."
You possess latent talents, that when developed and utilized are of
assistance to you and others. But if you do not properly use them,
you shirk your duty, and you will be the loser and suffer from the
consequences. Others will also be worse off if you do not fulfil your
obligations.
When you have aroused into activity your thought powers you will
realize the wonderful value of these principles in helping you to
carry out your plans. The right in the end must prevail. You can
assist in the working out of the great plan of the universe and
thereby gain the reward, or you can work against the great plan
and suffer the consequences. The all consuming fires are gradually
purifying all discordant elements. If you choose to work contrary
to the law you will burn in its crucible, so I want you to learn to
concentrate intelligently on becoming in harmony with your higher
self. Hold the thought: "I-will-live-for-my-best. I-seek-wisdom,
self-knowledge, happiness-and-power-to-help-others. I-act-from-
the-higher-self, therefore-only-the-best-can-come-to-me. The
more we become conscious of the presence of the higher self the
more we should try to become a true representative of the human
soul in all its wholeness and holiness, instead of wasting our time
dwelling on some trifling external quality or defect. We should try
to secure a true conception of what we really are so as not to over

The Power of Concentration Theron Dumont

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The Power of Concentration Theron Dumont

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THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION

This book has already helped readers the world over in

INTRODUCTION. It is of the utmost value to learn how to

LESSON 1. CONCENTRATION FINDS THE WAY. Our two

LESSON 2. THE SELF-MASTERY. SELF-DIRECTION POWER

up courage to do as you wish. Difficulties soon melt away before

Man is a wonderful creature, but he must be trained and developed

interest-to-live-up-to-my-best. I-demand-wisdom-so that-I-may- awakened. You begin to experience conscious thought

There is no power so great as the belief which comes from the

alone. I am surrounded by invisible forces that will assist me to

The power of the Mental Demand seems absolute, the supply

The Best Time to Concentrate Is after reading something that is Exercise 1

The object of these exercises is to develop concentrated attention, Exercise 9

and accomplishes his task. A child instinctively but unconsciously

articles and recall the thread of the argument. Associate yourself

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